Competing with Cam
by Lesera128
Summary: An email from Zack brings Brennan home early, just as Cam is about to be hired by the Jeffersonian. A competition for the boss's job and Booth ensues. AU. Complete.
1. Prologue: Birth of the Competition

Competing with Cam

By: Lesera128

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing... Obviously. Just playing in someone else's sandbox for a bit.

Summary: An email from Zack brings Brennan home early just as Cam is about to be hired by the Jeffersonian. A competition for the boss's job and Booth ensues. AU.

A/N: This story assumes that all events in season 1 are canon. The story picks up just before 2x1's "Titan on the Tracks" and should be considered AU after that point. As ever, annoying flames will be fed to my pet dragon. A good piece of advice... if you don't like the story (be it premise, writing style, plot, characterization, or INSERT RANDOM GRIPE HERE), stop reading, and hit the back button. It's that simple. :)~

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><p>Prologue – Birth of the Competition<p>

* * *

><p>Zack Addy sat on the main platform in the Medico-Legal Lab of the Forensics Department of the Jeffersonian Institute in Washington D.C. The last few weeks of the late summer months had been somewhat more sedate than those of the prior year. Zack's mentor and friend, Dr. Temperance Brennan had left the Jeffersonian on one of her regularly scheduled trips to Darfur at the beginning of June. It was now late July, and in anticipation of the new academic year, Zack knew certain plans were being made by Dr. Daniel Goodman. It surprised no one that Goodman had been tiring in recent months. The continued bureaucratic pressures of running a makeshift department out of one lab, in addition to his other duties as an institute director, had been weighing on him for quite some time. Goodman had missed the beginning of the annual field season, and Zack observed that every time he got an email or a phone call from some other friend or colleague who was actively pursuing archaeological pursuits that the tension increased.<p>

While it was now late July, and the traditional archaeological season for many crews was winding down, Goodman had had an epiphany some days ago. At some point, he had burned out. He woke up each morning, got out of bed, and reluctantly came into work because duty compelled him to do so. There were many things other things he wanted to do beside get up each morning to come to work at the Jeffersonian. That one fact grated at him. The logical, rational part of his psyche admitted that no finer institution existed in the country. Very few could challenge its stature world-wide. Thus, Goodman knew it was time for a break. And, he intended to take one. When an email came from one of his former colleagues from the University of Arizona, relaying to Goodman the update that the field director had suffered a medical mishap, Zack's sedate summer schedule abruptly ended. When Goodman realized the removal of the project's primary investigator put the remaining months of the excavations based at the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center at risk, he pounced.

Within forty-eight hours, he had met with members of the Jeffersonian's Board of Directors and explained his plight. Arrangements could be made to cover the majority of the administrative duties of Goodman's workload so that he could take a sabbatical to go to Arizona and fill in at Crow Canyon. However, there was one glaring exception to that decision. The one exception stemmed from the nebulous pseudo-department that had been created in the past year by one Dr. Temperance Brennan. Prior to Brennan's consultant work with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Jeffersonian had occasionally subcontracted its lab facilities or a single expert to such local law enforcement agencies as occasionally requested. The past year had changed that standard practice when Brennan's efforts had effectively created an active forensics team who worked out of the Medico-Legal Laboratory on site in DC. The board had been indulging Goodman on this one issue for months, and his desire to have them grant his sabbatical came with a condition. Either formally create and populate a new department with the requisite administrative personnel or disband Brennan's makeshift team and get her back to focusing on the concerns of the Jeffersonian's own collections. It went without saying, however, that whichever choice that Goodman made, it was his responsibility to see that choice was enacted prior to his departure on August 1st.

Goodman knew Brennan. He knew her better than most of the other administrators of the Jeffersonian did. From the beginning, Goodman knew that the option of disbanding Brennan's team wasn't viable. For some reason, establishing the team, and working on cases with Agent Booth, made Brennan happy. A happy Brennan made other people in the Jeffersonian happy. She continued her work with Booth, while also working on her own work related to the Jeffersonian's collections simultaneously. Essentially, Brennan had spent the past year doing two jobs for the price of one, and had been less antagonistic and less unpleasant - according to other Jeffersonian employees, at least – during the process. Thus, Goodman knew that disbanding the team wouldn't be a good idea, particularly because he did not want to have to deal with the good doctor's own reaction if he tried to do so. That piece of information meant that formalizing her team's place within the Jeffersonian as a new department really was his only option. So, Goodman began the motions, quietly, but on a firm schedule, to make the change while Brennan was gone during the summer.

Her absence proved to be fortuitous for him. By the time that Brennan returned, the new infrastructure would already be in place. Goodman knew that Brennan hated change, but he much preferred the idea of her being confronted with the end results of his efforts in one foul swoop, as opposed to her complaining during the entire transition. And, so, after consulting with personnel at the FBI to determine what type of changes might more easily facilitate the new department's continued working relationship with that organization, since that relationship had effectively prompted its creation, Goodman began the hiring process for a new department chair. Really, a good administrator would be the key to making things solidify as the new department came into being. Goodman knew that he needed someone with some type of a scientific background, but also the ability to interact with a multitude of individuals in varying contexts, handle the pedantic administrative issues related to personnel and budgetary concerns, and bear the bureaucratic pressures of the Jeffersonian's Board. All this had to be accomplished before said candidate could devote their attention to personal work interests and goals within the lab. As such, Goodman never even considered Temperance Brennan for the job. By the time the job had been announced, applications solicited, submitted, and screened on such short notice, Goodman really only had one choice – and, her name was Dr. Camille Saroyan.

Now, how much of this did Zack Addy actually know? Not a tremendous amount. He could only see and observe minute amounts of data from his small watch post on the forensics platform. What he did know, he shared with Hodgins, and they pieced together what they could since Hodgins was better at getting information from living human beings than Zack was.

When they were done, Zack mused, there was only one clear thing that had been gleaned from their efforts. Dr. Goodman was hiring a new person to take over their team at the Jeffersonian. Since only one person could be in charge at a time, logically, it stood to reason that Dr. Brennan had been removed from her position for some reason. Zack usually was uncertain of inferring many things when it came to personal preferences and motivations. However, he felt fairly certain that Dr. Brennan greatly preferred her current position at the Jeffersonian above any possible alternatives and would not willing leave it of her own devices. Ergo, for some reason, her actions must have resulted in Dr. Goodman deciding to replace her with someone new. Surely, as her intern and assistant… and friend, such a piece of news deserved personal clarification.

Opening up his email program, Zack began to type.

* * *

><p>Dr. Temperance Brennan sat in her brother's beach house in North Carolina. The past few weeks had been an experience that she savored. She enjoyed reconnecting with her brother, and, in a way, her past. The leisure time also allowed her to spend a great amount of time on pleasurable pursuits, such as reading books with little or no relation whatsoever to the field of forensics, swimming and enjoying the natural beauties of the beach, and sleeping. After the traumatic experience she had endured the previous May with the discovery of her mother's remains, she needed a break. However, that had been almost six weeks ago. And, now, six weeks later, she had read all the non-forensic books she had wanted to, she had talked to Russ and made all the decisions and plans they really could, she had slept more than she needed to, and she was ready for her sojourn to come to an end. Revitalized and metaphorically refreshed, Brennan ached to be in the lab again, working with a set of remains and the entire process that came with that experience.<p>

Thus, one morning as Brennan contemplated how best to effect her early return to the Jeffersonian, she received a curious email.

_To: __brennant_

_From: addyz  
><em>

_Subject: Your Replacement_

_Date: July 28, 2006 08:23 AM EST_

_Dear Dr. Brennan:_

_Dr. Goodman has just informed Hodgins, Angela, and I that your replacement will begin working at the Jeffersonian on August 1__st__. I am very unsettled about this development. I am now considering my options since I will no longer be working with you per the terms of the agreement of my doctoral fellowship. I do not know believe that your replacement (Dr. Camille Saroyan) possesses the suitable credentials to continue to mentor me here at the lab given the fact she is not a specialist in osteology, but pathology. When you return, I hope we can discuss the status of my dissertation in forensic anthropology. Even though you are no longer on staff at the Jeffersonian, I have come to value your opinions and advice. I hope you are enjoying your vacation._

_Sincerely,_

_Zack U. Addy_

Brennan stared open mouthed at the email for a minute. Then, she closed it, and frowned. She reread the email several times to make certain there was no possible way she could have misunderstood Zack's information. After careful consideration, Brennan was confident that the information that Zack's email imparted could only be interpreted in one way, the way she originally understood the message. As such, somewhat annoyed that obviously someone had done something without her approval in her lab simply because she was gone, Brennan didn't have to think twice when she booked a flight from North Carolina back into DC for departure the following morning.

* * *

><p>Standing in front of his desk, Dr. Temperance Brennan had spent the past fifteen minutes demanding answers from Dr. Daniel Goodman. While externally he remained his cool, calm, and normal self, internally Goodman was continually wincing and grimacing. Three days. He had been so close. Just three more days, and Saroyan would be here, he would be gone, and then, whenever Brennan did find out, he would be so far away that he would only be able to be harangued by email. *So* close.<p>

"While I accept your explanation about Zack's misinformation that I had been fired, and I further understand the issue did appear to randomly manifest itself during my absence, I find that I am not only annoyed, but offended, Dr. Goodman, that you would not even consider me for the job," Brennan said. "It's my team. I am already familiar with how things are done here and to what effective purpose."

"Yes, Dr. Brennan, you've explained that, but, as I've said, the candidate pool has already been assessed, and our final choice has been made. We made her an offer, she accepted, and so the decision is final," Goodman said.

"I was under the impression that Dr. Saroyan does not officially start her tenure as an employee of the Jeffersonian for another three days," Brennan observed.

Goodman nodded. "Yes, that's correct."

"Then, I don't see why it's not possible to let me speak with the hiring committee, and at least interview forthe position myself. Logically-" Brennan continued confidently.

Again, externally, he remained impassive, but internally, his winces and grimaces grew.

* * *

><p>"Sweetie, can you explain this to me one more time," Angela asked.<p>

"Yes, of course," Brennan said. "Goodman hired this new person without even consulting me. When I pointed out the fact that my qualifications and standing within the Jeffersonian hierarchy, when combined with the professional prestige I possess in my own within my fields pf research, should at least merit the chance to interview for the position, Goodman told me that his decision was final. I then called the Chairman of the Jeffersonian Board of Directors. I explained the situation, I expressed my displeasure, and when I had finished my conversation with the chairman, he was quite contrite about the entire situation. He said it was the first that he had heard of the specific details and assured me that my having not even been informed about the position so that I could apply if I wished must have been pure oversight. He came all the way down to Goodman's office with me to address the situation. When the two of them had completed their discussion, Goodman apologized to me and said that it was inappropriate that I had not even been given the chance to apply for the position. He also explained that while he couldn't simply fire Dr. Saroyan since her contract has already been signed, Goodman did agree to a compromise since the lab would benefit from having our own skilled pathologist on staff. We're going to take ninety-days as a trial period. Dr. Saroyan will handle issues related to pathology, I will handle issues related to osteology, and we will divide the administrative responsibilities. At the end of the ninety-day probationary period, the individual who has proven to be the most effective leader will retain that position permanently."

"Okay," Angela nodded, after a minute. "Translation: you blackmailed the Chairman of the Board of the Jeffersonian Institute into browbeating Goodman into giving you a chance to prove that you're better at being the boss than this new pathologist?"

Brennan thought for a moment and then said, "Yes."

"And you don't see anything wrong with that, Bren?" Angela asked.

"No. Why should I?" Brennan asked with such a straight face that, had it been anyone else, Angela knew they would have been joking.

"No reason," Angela said with a wave of her hand. She then pursed her lips for a moment before she said, "Well, at least that should make the next few months more fun."

"Fun?" Brennan asked. "Why?"

Angela said, "Oh, you know, Bren. You, this new outsider, in the lab, competing…for dominance."

"Ahh, you mean two alpha females battling for supremacy of the pact, to use an anthropological analogy," Brennan said, a smile of comprehension on her face.

"Yeah," Angela said. "Something like that."

"Well, I can see why that might be entertaining to some from certain perspectives. But, I don't really see how this Dr. Saroyan is really any threat to me when I am clearly the more appropriately skilled individual for the job," Brennan remarked.

"Like I said," Angela replied, with a small shake of her head. "At least it will make the next few months more fun… and interesting. *Definitely* interesting."

* * *

><p>-TBC-<p> 


	2. Ch 1: Bones vs Flesh

Competing with Cam

By: Lesera128

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing... Obviously. Just playing in someone else's sandbox for a bit.

Summary: An email from Zack brings Brennan home early just as Cam is about to be hired by the Jeffersonian. A competition for the boss's job and Booth ensues. AU.

A/N: Certain minor details from episodes in season 2 have been tweaked for the purposes of this storyline, as you will see in this chapter and others to follow it. Example: In the episode "Titan on the Tracks", it was dark when Booth and Brennan went to the crime scene. In this story, it will still be daylight out. These are relatively small things, like I said, so hopefully everyone won't be too annoyed and can suspend disbelief for story telling purposes.

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><p>Chapter 1 – Bones vs. Flesh<p>

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><p>Dr. Daniel Goodman stared at the clock on his office wall. Just thirty more minutes and he would be free. He kept replaying that mantra in his head.<p>

Thirty more minutes. Thirty more minutes. Thirty more minutes.

Thirty more minutes and then it was on to Arizona and Crow Canyon and archaeology and any future administrative duties could be damned. Unfortunately, one final administrative task lay between he and freedom that had to be conquered in those thirty minutes, namely introducing Dr. Camille Saroyan and Dr. Temperance Brennan.

Saroyan had arrived promptly, as they arranged, at Goodman's office at 9am on August 1st. They had talked briefly by telephone about the issues that her hiring had raised as far as the Jeffersonian's Board of Directors was concerned. Goodman had further explained the issue to her this morning, somewhat worried that Saroyan might turn around and head straight back to New York.

"So, let me get this straight," Cam had said, after Goodman explained the terms of the ninety-day probationary period. "I'll still be the Jeffersonian's chief pathologist?"

"Yes."

"And, I'll still receive the exact same compensation as we negotiated in my contract?"

"Yes," Goodman reaffirmed.

"But, for now, you want me to do ½ the work for which you originally hired me to do?" Cam asked, confused. "I'm sorry, Dr. Goodman, but I still think I must be missing something. I'm getting paid to do the part of the job I love with the administrative workload part that we hate reduced by 50%. I'm not really sure where I see the downside in this from my perspective."

"Well," Goodman clarified. "We did hire you with the understanding that you would be the head of the department."

"And, there's still a very high probability that I'll hold that title at the end of this ninety-trial period that the Board has seemed to throw on you for some reason," Cam said.

"Not for some reason, but for some person," Goodman amended.

"Ahh," Cam said. "I take it that Dr. Brennan's efforts may have resulted in this change in our arrangements?"

Goodman nodded. "She was not pleased when she found out that we had not even given her the opportunity to present her creditentials for the job, and as such, given her stature in the academic world, as well Dr. Brennan's own internal standing here at the Jeffersonian…."

"The directors wanted to smooth her ruffled feathers," Cam said, understanding dawning. "I get it now."

Pausing for a moment, Goodman took the chance to interrupt Cam's thoughts as he said, "Out of curiosity, Dr. Saroyan, have you ever met Dr. Brennan?"

Reclining a bit in her chair, Cam folded her hands as she said, "Yes, once or twice at conferences throughout the years. She is very good, but very… abrupt."

"You really don't know the half of it," Goodman muttered.

"Pardon?"

Smiling, Goodman said, "Nothing."

Glancing at the clock again, Goodman apologized once more. "I'm sorry, Dr. Saroyan. Dr. Brennan is usually quite punctual."

"It's okay—"

Cam was suddenly interrupted by a swift knock came on Goodman's closed door. He barely had enough time to call out his permission to enter when Brennan came through the door. She was not dressed as professionally as Goodman had expected given the nature of the meeting. Instead, Brennan wore a standard Jeffersonian dark blue field suit, work boots, and carried several bags and packs over her shoulders. Brennan's hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, and her sun glasses rested on the top of her head. She appeared anxious and reluctant to even be in the office. Goodman did his best to smooth over the introductions for the single purpose that if he completed the task, he would be free.

"Ahh, Dr. Brennan—" Goodman began.

"I apologize for my tardiness," Brennan began. "However, I only came to tell you that I will be unable to stay for this administrative meeting. I received a call that my team is needed immediately in the field on a case involving a high-speed train derailment, so time is of the essence."

Goodman tried very hard to keep from wincing as he said, "Ahh, Dr. Brennan. Allow me to introduce the Medico-Legal Lab's new chief pathologist, and your new colleague, Dr. Camille Saroyan."

Brennan looked to wear Cam sat, considered her for several seconds, and then nodded. "Hello."

Her head snapping back to Goodman, Brennan continued, "While I understand you imminent departure for Arizona will make rescheduling such a meeting physically an impossibility, I did want to delay my departure long enough to say goodbye and to let you know that I am sure Dr. Saroyan and I can come to some type of arrangement between the two of us to go over the banal formalities of introductions at another time."

"Yes, well, thank you for that Dr. Brennan. I—"

"If that's all," Brennan said, turning to leave. "I really need to get going. Booth's waiting for me."

"*Us*," Cam said, correcting her with a smile as she suddenly stood up out of her chair in one fluid movement.

"Us?" Brennan repeated, somewhat surprised.

"Yeah," Cam said. "You said the entire team is needed, right?"

"That's correct," Brennan said tentatively.

"Well, last I checked, as the Medico-Legal Lab's new chief pathologist, I'm sure *our* team could use an extra pair of hands on something this big, right?" Cam asked.

Brennan resisted from wanting to bite her lip. Instead, she merely smiled and said, "Surely, with it being your first day on the job, Dr. Saroyan, you have many, many other things that must be accomplished before actively jumping into field work."

"Nope," Cam said, still smiling. "I don't. HR paperwork can wait. This sounds like more fun anyway."

"But," Brennan protested. "You aren't even dressed—"

"I'm sure you must have a spare jumpsuit and pair of work boots we can grab on the way, right?" Cam said, her smile growing larger.

This time, Brennan actually did bit her lip. She nodded and then turned to leave, Saroyan following close on her trail.

Brennan didn't know if she said it loudly enough as she walked away or not, to be heard, but Goodman's final image of Brennan was as she said, "Fine. But, I'm riding with Booth. You can ride with the rest of the team in the Jeffersonian van."

* * *

><p>The crime scene was a hive of activity as workers from several different local, state, and federal agencies worked to rescue survivors, stabilize the safety of the site, and collect evidence.<p>

Cam was in her element as she grabbed an arm out of a piece of wreckage and called out behind her, "Stan! I need some gauze. Danny? You don't find the owner of this in the next ten minutes, he'll bleed to death. Starting…" She stopped as she set an alarm on the watch that adorned the wrist of the severed limb before she finished, "…now.."

Special Agent Seeley Booth walked beside Brennan as she made her way in Cam's direction. The pathologist nodded once at Brennan and then turned to greet the FBI agent standing beside her with a different type of smile entirely.

Looking at him with a very appreciative gaze, Brennan again stopped herself from scowling as she noticed Saroyan running her eyes over Booth from head to toe and back again.

Nodding at him, Cam finally said, "Seeley."

Booth, oblivious to the silent exchange that was happening between Brennan and Saroyan, smiled in greeting. "Camille."

Playfully, Cam responded, "Don't call me 'Camille'."

Instantaneously, as if it were a well rehearsed response, Booth looked at her and said, "Don't call me 'Seeley'." Cam's grin widened at this, but Booth ignored it as he said, "Dr. Brennan, Dr. Saroyan. You two know each other, huh?"

"Yes," Brennan said, annoyed that her presence was now just being remembered. "Albeit 'know' only in the sense that I'm aware of who Dr. Saroyan is."

Cam opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off when an aid worked interrupted them with a loud yell from behind where the trio stood. "Got him, Cam! Still breathin'!"

Turning around, Cam looked and nodded, "Thanks, Steve! All right." She nodded with a content look on her face before she looked up at Booth and said, "Every survivor is one less person for me to autopsy." Again, her frame of mind seemed to shift as she took a small step away and raised her eyes to meet Booth's. She grinned and said with an appreciative stare, "You look good out of your suit, Seeley." Booth flushed slightly, but attempted to keep his face from breaking out into a full-scale blush. He didn't succeed when, before walking away, Cam added with a leer, "But then, you always did."

As Cam walked off, Booth stared at her open-mouthed with a slightly dazed look on his face. He then smiled as he called out, "Yeah, that's…great to have you back in D.C., Camille."

Watching the entire exchange between them, Brennan mentally added another item to her long list of reasons as to why she didn't like Dr. Camille Saroyan. When Booth continued to look off in the direction in which Cam had walked, Brennan couldn't take it anymore as she muttered, "One minute she's holding a severed arm, the next, she's hitting on you."

His head turning in her direction at Brennan's comment, Booth shook his head quickly to correct her assumption. "She wasn't hitting on me," Booth insisted. "That's just… that's just how Cam is. And, anyway, she… well, you know, while you were away, Goodman decided that there should be a head of forensics at the Jeffersonian. Never occurred to you to check in, huh?"

"Oh, yes, it did," Brennan said. "I've been back for almost a week. That's how I know that she's not my boss."

"What?" Booth said, suddenly stopping in his tracks.

"I returned from my vacation early. Zack emailed me when he heard the news about Dr. Goodman having decided to hire Dr. Saroyan. There was some initial confusion as he thought that Dr. Saroyan had been hired as *my* replacement. Obviously, Zack had questions, as did I, so I came back early to see what was going on exactly."

"You've been back for a week?" Booth asked again.

"Yes," Brennan repeated. "Why does that seem to be the only piece of information that you seem to have heard when I spoke?"

Shaking his head, Booth said, "You've been back for a week, and you didn't tell me?"

Shrugging, Brennan said, "I did stop by the Hoover the day after my return to let you know that I would be available to participate in case work earlier than I had previously anticipated. But, when I got there, your office was empty, and I was told that you had gone on to Houston to consult on a case for the rest of the week."

Booth considered her words for a moment before he nodded and said, "Oh, well, that's okay, then, I guess."

They resumed walking in the direction of where the train and an automobile had collided at a severe point of impact. Brennan began her preliminary examination of the car. However, before she began to rattle off facts, she looked up at Booth and resumed her earlier train of thought. "And, just so that it's clear, Dr. Saroyan is not my boss. She's my colleague. It still remains to be seen whom is going to permanently be hired as the Head of Forensics at the Jeffersonian. Now—"

Booth, standing next to the car with his notepad open and pen at the ready to write, stared open mouthed at Brennan. As she began to call details out to him about the remains, Booth had no choice but to decide to ask for clarification on that final statement later, when neither one of them were quite so distracted… by the presence of remains or in the close proximity of Camille Saroyan.

* * *

><p>Brennan sat on the couch at her apartment with a damp towel laying slung across her shoulder. Angela returned from the kitchen and handed Brennan a large goblet of red wine before she took hers and perched herself on the opposite end of the couch facing her best friend.<p>

"Rough day?" Angela asked as she noticed the scowl Brennan had been wearing all week was still present.

"Yes," Brennan said tersely. "I find that when I was on vacation in North Carolina, all I wanted to do was to return to work. I was eager for it… overeager, actually. Now, now it's been barely two weeks, and I find any stress relief I accomplished at the beach has been metaphorically obliterated."

"Well, this case with Warren Lynch has been a toughie, sweetie," Angela said soothingly.

Realizing how… demanding Brennan's responsibilities at the lab had become, Angela had offered to come over for a 'girls night in' with the hopes of cheering her best friend up. She had arrived a short time before bearing gifts of Merlot, chocolate-covered Strawberries from Godiva, and a quart of the Baskin and Robbins strawberry ice cream that she knew Brennan loved as one of her few guilty pleasures in life, but, as such, would never admit to wanting. Forcing her best friend to go soak in a hot tub for a while as Angela prepared the items she had brought, by the time Brennan emerged, she seemed as least a little less pissed off than she had been when Angela arrived. A light jazz CD played softly in the background as Angela decided that the next step in her plan to de-stress Brennan involved getting her to participate in a classic verbal bitchfest. Brennan needed to vent. Angela, given what she suspected as the true root cause of her best friend's need to verbally unleash, remained somewhat intrigued to see as to what her friend might finally admit in such a verbal tirade, and so continued to encourage her to speak her mind.

"While the Lynch case has been difficult, it's been little more demanding than most of the normal cases on which I've consulted with Booth," Brennan said.

Worried that it might take three or four hours to get Brennan to quite beating around the bush, as ever, Angela decided the direct approach might work best to achieve her goal of getting Brennan to talk about what was really bothering her.

"Okay, Bren," Angela began. "Then, if it's not the case that's been so difficult, what's really got you all worked up?"

"I am not—" Brennan began.

"Bren, just stop," Angela said. With a wave of her hand, Angela gestured to herself and said, "Remember who you're talking to here."

Pursing her lips together, Brennan sighed and then straightened her posture a bit as she said, "Fine. I hate Dr. Saroyan."

'_Ahh_,' Angela thought. '_Bingo_.'

"Well, that's hardly shocking news, Bren. I mean, like we talked about a couple of weeks ago, two alpha females competing for dominance, remember?" Angela reminded her friend.

"While I find her attempts to circumvent my authority in the lab to be juvenile at best, I take greater issue with her in other areas first. And, on a personal level, I find that those other issues are what really annoy me the most about her," Brennan admitted.

"And those other issues would be?" Angela prompted. "Surely you aren't this pissed off just because she's taken to calling your intern Zackaroni and referring to Jack as Hodgepodge?"

Brennan was quiet for a minute. She looked away and then quickly shook her head, but didn't add anything verbally to her response.

"Bren?" Angela prodded.

"Yes, Angela?" Brennan responded.

"What is it that's really bothering you?" Angela asked, although she half-suspected she already knew the answer, so when Brennan finally spoke, it really wasn't that much of a surprise.

"Booth," Brennan said tersely. "And, Dr. Saroyan. It's Booth and Dr. Saroyan. And, I hate it."

Angela chuckled lightly at this and said, "Anything specific, or is it just in principle that the idea of Booth and Cam annoys you so much?"

"You know what? Did I say anything when I was having lunch with Booth last week at the diner, she sauntered in, batted her very thin eyelashes at him, reduced him to a stuttering incoherent mess, and he asked her 'Hey, Cam, why don't you join us'? No, I didn't say a word. Then, when we had the debriefing three days ago, and she took my place next to Booth in the lounge—"

"Now, that one I did notice," Angela conceded.

"But, did I say anything? No. I didn't. But, she calls him 'Seeley'," Brennan said, suddenly shaking her head. "No one calls him 'Seeley'. Anyone who has known Booth for more than five minutes knows that he hates it. And, yet, she still calls him that."

"Well," Angela said. "He does correct her when she does it."

"Not really!" Brennan exclaimed. "It's like this little inside joke they've got going on between them. 'Don't call me 'Seeley', Camille.' 'Don't call me Camille, Seeley.' It's this petty and stupid juvenile game they have to play in greeting before they can even exchange three sentences about anything else as far as conversation goes. It's a complete waist of time, an over excessive use of diction, and I find it irksome. "

"Well, from what Hodgins has gotten from Booth, apparently he's known Cam for a long time," Angela said.

"Fair point. But, what I fail to see is why a prior history of social familiarity necessitates her continually oogling him in a sexually solicitive manner each time she sees him," Brennan commented.

At this, Angela laughed. "Oh, that one's easy, hun. Cam and Booth have slept together."

Her jaw tightening, Brennan inclined her head slightly in Angela's direction and said, "How do you know that? Given his prior reticence to discuss anything of a sexual nature, particularly regarding his own past sexual experiences, I find it difficult to believe that Booth would voluntarily confess that piece of information to anyone to whom you could get such gossip out of, let alone Hodgins."

"He didn't," Angela confirmed. "But, sweetie… if there's one thing I know… it's how to read people when it comes to things like that. I don't know the when, where, or hows of it, but I can tell when two people have slept together. And, Booth and Cam? There's history there… definitely of a sexual variety."

Shaking her head, Brennan began to mutter. "I hate her. I really, really, *really* hate her."

"Why?" Angela said. "Because she's had sex with Booth… or because it seems she wants to pick up now wherever they had left off?"

"Both!" Brennan exclaimed instantaneously.

Suddenly, both of them realizing what she had actually said, Brennan looked away and flushed with embarrassment while Angela averted her head to keep her friend from seeing that she was smiling.

'_God, I love being right_,' Angela thought.

Letting her friend stew for a couple more minutes, Angela finally said, "Bren?"

Still turned away from Angela, Brennan responded, "Yes, Ange?"

"Are you jealous of Cam?"

Brennan sighed before she turned to Angela and nodded. "I find for some reason over the course of the past week, I have had a certain illogical and irrational emotional response over certain proprietary feelings I have towards Booth being encroached upon by… her."

"You're jealous of Cam because she's been… flirting with Booth?" Angela pressed.

"Not just flirting, Ange!" Brennan suddenly admitted. "It would be one thing if she was just flirting with him, but he's flirting back."

"And, ignoring you in the process," Angela said knowingly.

Sighing again, Brennan said, "There does seem to be some correlation to Booth's level of distraction and inability to remember my presence when he is in close proximity to Dr. Saroyan, yes. And, I don't recall him ever having had such a distraction… before her arrival."

"So," Angela said. "Booth and Cam have some type of past sexual relationship—"

"Pure speculation on that point, Angela," Brennan interrupted.

Staring at her friend, Angela continued, "They have a past, Cam's back now, and she's spent the past two weeks flirting with Booth. And, Booth, in addition to flirting back, has been paying less attention to you. That sum it up?"

"You summary is a fairly accurate one of the situation, so I would say 'yes' in answer to your question," Brennan said.

"Okay, then here's my next question. Obviously, you don't like the current situation. So… here's the $64000 question, Bren. What are you willing to do about it?"

"I don't know—" Brennan began.

"Focus less on the leading euphemistic descriptor and more on the actual question, sweetie," Angela said.

Nodding, Brennan said after a moment, "I'm not sure what I can do."

At this, Angela couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, Bren. Seriously? You've got to be kidding me, right?"

"What?" Brennan responded in confusion.

"Do you want Booth to pay attention to you instead of Cam?" Angela asked. "I mean, really… do you?"

Brennan, who had already been biting her bottom lip in nervousness, slowly nodded her head.

"Hallelujah!" Angela shouted. "I've been waiting for you to admit something like this for over a year."

"Something like what?" Brennan asked.

"That you want Booth!" Angela said.

"He's my partner, Angela," Brennan began.

"Yeah, well, he's your partner who has a gorgeous forensic pathologist after him by all appearances," Angela said. "So, like I said, if you want him to pay attention to him instead of you, what are you willing to do about it?"

"What should I do?" Brennan began. "Act like Cam does? Flirt, leer, verbalize sexual innuendos, as she has done?"

"For starters," Angela nodded, "Yeah, those are all good things. But, it's going to take more than that. If… if you want a guy like Booth to pay attention to you, sweetie, well… you've got to give him something to pay attention to… it's not just what you do, but how you do it, and how you look while doing it that makes all the difference."

Groaning, Brennan said, "Oh, please tell me that I did not just here you insinuate something that necessitates us going shopping."

Angela grinned widely with a nod as she said, "Oh, yeah, you did, and yes, we are. Several times, in fact, but we'll start with a trip to the mall tomorrow."

"Why?"

"Because," Angela said. "If you want Booth, you've got to get to him before Cam does. But, fortunately for you, you have the greatest asset possible to you available to help you achieve your goal."

"And, what's that?" Brennan asked meekly. "My superior intelligence?"

Shaking her head, Angela grinned wickedly. "No. Me. Because, I'll tell you this, if the depths of my extensive knowledge on how successfully to ensnare a man can't help you trump Ms. Cam over there, than my name isn't Angela Montenegro."

* * *

><p>-TBC-<p> 


	3. Ch 2: Flesh vs Bones

Competing with Cam

By: Lesera128

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing... Obviously. Just playing in someone else's sandbox for a bit.

Summary: An email from Zack brings Brennan home early just as Cam is about to be hired by the Jeffersonian. A competition for the boss's job and Booth ensues. AU.

* * *

><p>Chapter 2 – Flesh vs. Bones<p>

* * *

><p>The next morning found Angela and Brennan at the mall. Brennan hated shopping almost as much as Angela loved it. However, Angela now had a grand master plan, she told Brennan confidently, and her friend was finally going to reap the benefits of Angela's extensive sexual wisdom by strictly adhering to said plan. That statement had resulted in the very first store that Angela had dragged Brennan to being Victoria's Secret. Angela was now seated on a small padded couch just outside the fitting rooms and waiting for Brennan to emerge.<p>

"Bren?" Angela called after a few moments.

There was a beat of silence before the muted response came. "Yes, Ange?"

"How's it going in there?" Angela said partially distracted as she sat playing with her smart phone.

"Ummm," Brennan responded tentatively. "Fine?"

"Ready for me to come in there yet?" Angela asked, still looking at her phone.

"No!" came the squeak. "I… I have made my choices, and I do not believe I will need your advice after all."

Her eyes narrowing, Angela stood and placed the phone in her pocket. Going to the changing room that Brennan currently occupied, she gave a sharp rap and said, "Open up, Bren."

"No. I—"

"Open, up, or I'm coming in there by force," Angela said.

There was a mutter behind the changing room door before the sliding of the lock foretold that opening of the door was imminent. It finally slid open a crack, and Angela only saw Brennan's hands gesturing in a rapid movement to indicate that she should hurry if she wanted to enter. As soon as Angela had entered the fitting room, she saw the pile of bras, panties, chemises, and lacy camis sat in a pile where Angela had originally left them twenty minutes before.

"You haven't even tried any of them on," Angela said sternly with a disapproving glance. "What have you been doing this entire time? Just staring at them?"

Brennan, clearly anxious at displeasing her friend, said, "No, I haven't... and maybe."

"But, why? We got the correct sizes, right?" Angela asked in a confused voice.

"Yes," Brennan confirmed.

"Then, what's the problem?" Angela asked.

Brennan sighed and then said, "I don't understand what the point is of me wearing something like this unless your plan is for me to act blatantly in an attempt to seduce Booth into bed where he might have the opportunity to view such garments? Because, at this point in time, if that's what you grand plan is, I don't think I'm quite ready to—"

"Don't worry. These aren't for Booth, Bren. They're for you," Angela said reassuringly.

"I know, you said that before. And, I… I'm sorry, Ange, but I just don't understand what you mean," Brennan said.

"Okay," Angela said with a nod. "Let me put it this way." She reached into the pile and pulled out a very pretty navy blue plunge bra. It had an underwire, and lots of lace on the cups to hide extra padding that helped the bra 'lift and separate'. The matching panty set were in a relatively conservative high cut bikini style, but woefully impractical in the shiny and brilliant navy blue coloring and satin fabric. "So, this set here. I know it's a bit… more… exciting than your normal tastes run, Bren. However, not every bra and pair of panties you own should be white or nude or basic black in color and made of cotton. I get it's practical, but it's also boring. Very boring. There's really nothing special about days when you wear the good old standbys like that. But, I can guarantee, when you put this little number on under whatever boring-ass work clothes you're wearing, *you'll* feel special. That's what I meant when I said *some* of these are just for you. You're the only one who will know you're wearing them. But, you'll feel special when you do, and because of that, you'll start to feel more confident in your skills of seduction."

"You make it sound as if I am a complete novice when it comes to attracting sexual partners, Angela," Brennan frowned. "I'm quite an attractive woman who has had no difficulty in the past in finding partners with whom I can satisfy any biological urges I may have."

"This is not," Angela interrupted, "Just about getting laid, Bren."

She stopped and sighed before she continued on, "A woman like Cam? Well, both of you know you're pretty women. You're also both very confident in your sexuality, but Cam… sweetie, she just has this smoothness that you've got to deal with in her going after a guy like Booth. For a guy like him," Angela began. "It's not just about blatantly propositioning him for sex. For a guy like Booth? What you don't say is sometimes more important than what you do say. It's all about… innuendo, teasing, hinting, but never going too far. Otherwise, the game loses its allure. That's why Cam's been getting Booth to respond to her. She's a good flirt. And, *this*," Angela gestured to the bra and panty set. "*This* is where we start fighting that. You want to be able to flirt with Booth on someone's like Cam's level ? Well, it's not an easy thing to do, sweetie. You need all the help you can get. So, unless you changed your mind about wanting Booth—"

"I haven't," Brennan said immediately, and then blushed again in embarrassment over the eagerness of her response.

Nodding with a knowing smile, Angela said, "Good. Then try this set on."

Reaching for it, Brennan sighed and began to undress. Angela plopped down in the chair and pulled out her smart phone again to keep her occupied.

About an hour later, Brennan was shaking her head as the cashier, who was checking them out, seemed beside herself with glee as she rang up the various items that Angela had continued adding to Brennan's pile of purchases.

"Seven bra and panty sets, Ange?" Brennan said. "I mean, really… seven? Do we really need that many?"

"Yes. One for each day of the week," Angela nodded.

"And, and in such pretty colors!" the cashier said. "Let's see, there's the royal blue, dark purple, red, black, emerald green, hot pink, and pastel blue. All excellent choices."

Brennan sighed again as more items were scanned and placed into bags, including several cami tanks edged with lace that Brennan could wear under her work clothing or the Jeffersonian field suit. A slew of mismatched panties had piled up with almost every style represented from highcut string bikinis to several thongs. Brennan had put her foot down when Angela tried to add a black g-string to the pile. However, when Brennan wasn't looking, Angela gave the cashier a knowing smile and had her stick the offending item back into the bag. Angela rounded out the lot with several packages of black, off black, and navy panty hose and a few satin chemises that could be worn to bed as something comfortable in which Brennan could sleep. At the end, Brennan didn't even say a word when her bill tallied over $700, but just handed over her credit card to the giddy cashier with just a slight shake of her head.

Loaded down by a half-dozen of the store's largest Victoria's Secret Angel bags, Brennan looked up and said, "Okay. Now what?"

Looking appreciatively at where they were in the mall, Angela considered their options. "Well, you have one of two choices. After the lingerie, the next two most important things that guys look at are your finger nails and your feet."

"Oh," Brennan groaned. "Make up or shoes?"

"Yup," Angela nodded. "Sephora is that way," Angela pointed to her right. "And, Nine West and Aldo, the best places I think to start looking for shoes, are to the left. But, we also need to go into Macys so we can look at the BCBG stock. I've always thought you'd look killer in a black pair of three-inch BCBG leather sling-backs."

Sighing, Brennan shook her head. "I don't care since I'm going to suffer through all of these stops anyway. You chose."

Angela smiled wickedly, and nodded. Going to their right, Brennan and her credit card followed in the destructive wake that was Hurricane Angela Montenegro on a Fashion Mission of Mercy.

* * *

><p>Two days later, Booth came barreling into Brennan's office. She looked up at him from her desk, but continued typing on her keyboard when she saw whom it was interrupting the calm and inviolate inner sanctum of Brennan's domain. However, for his part, Booth stopped abruptly in front of her desk when Brennan glanced up at him. His sudden movement, in turn, caught her attention again resulting in her lifting her gaze to him.<p>

"What?" Brennan asked in response to the unasked question imparted by his stare.

Booth's eyes narrowed at her as he said, "What's different?"

"About what?" Brennan asked.

Again, Booth's eyes narrowed at her, and Brennan looked at him in expectation. "You… there's nothing…?"

"A complete sentence would help me to be in a position to actually be able to give you an answer, Booth," Brennan said innocently.

Quickly pushing his confusion aside, Booth shook his head and said, "Cops say a body washed up on the bay. They think it could be Carlie Richardson."

He walked over to the coat hook where Brennan's jacket stood. Booth again frowned when he noticed her standard Jeffersonian windbreaker had been replaced with one that was made of black leather, was very feminine in its style… and almost… chic. When he handed it to her, pausing briefly to glance at the article of clothing, Brennan had to use every bit of will power she had to keep from smiling at his reaction.

Instead, she took the jacket and said, "And, I'm supposed to know who that is?"

Booth nodded. "Yeah. Disappeared a year ago, she was pregnant. C'mon Bones, you have to get a TV, y'know. Or, hey, or at least just, uh, hey, thumb through a _People_ at the checkout stand."

Knowing that it was the perfect opportunity to tease him, Brennan said straight-faced, "Was it in the _Journal of Forensic Anthropology_?"

She then turned on her heels and started to walk out of the office. Booth again stopped, took several sniffs, and muttered, "Why does your office smell... girlie?"

He then noticed that Brennan had already left the office and was walking into the lab. Booth hurried to catch up to her as he resumed their conversation. "Oh, you know, I forgot to renew my subscription. You know what, Bones? You really need to take up some other interests."

Brennan shrugged. "Well, I'm reading Ted Gioia's _History of Jazz. _Was she mentioned in there? Or maybe in McGhee's _Science and Lore of the Kitchen_? Or, perhaps I should develop an interest in the mainstream media's exploitation of crimes for their entertainment value."

Suddenly, Booth stopped and realized she was playing him. He shook his head as he said with a small laugh, "You know, it's amazing, Bones. You can really be snotty sometimes."

Ignoring his chuckle, Brennan nodded at him and said, "So, Carlie Richardson?"

Booth replied, "Carlie Richardson, newlywed. Everyone assumed she was murdered."

The pair continued walking. Brennan walked up the steps to the lab platform and swiped her access card. Booth followed and continued speaking. "Husband was cheating on her, there was evidence that they had a fight that day. He was covered in scratches. Witnesses said they saw him down by the marina. Yeah, but, hey you know without the body, they had to kick him free."

Brennan began packing supplies into her field bag as she said, "Well, if she's been in the water for a year, the bones will be saturated. I'll need nylon mesh bagging and – "

Booth waved her off dismissively. "Don't worry. Cam's bringing in everything on the truck."

Resisting the urge to say something very snotty, Brennan merely said, "Well, after a year, there's not going to be a lot of flesh for Cam."

Booth shrugged. "Well, you know, hey, Bones, you know, Cam is – she's in charge now. She runs the place. It's her call."

Pointing at him, Brennan shook her head. "She isn't in charge of everything, only matters related to pathology. She doesn't run the place, and for at least the next seventy days, since *we* run the place, it's actually *our* call. However, since I don't want my remains to be compromised, let's go."

Lifting her supply bag, Brennan turned to leave the platform, forcing Booth to jog a little to keep up with her.

"Okay," Booth began. "Hey, Bones—"

Shaking her head, and muttering more to herself than Booth, Brennan said, "I don't care if she's thinks she's the boss or not. The bones belong to me."

Brennan didn't notice when Booth's cell phone rang, and he stopped to take the call. However, her eyes did register Cam crossing the lab platform on her way out of the lab. Zack followed her, carrying equipment.

Cam waved to her and called, "We're going to be in the water, Doc. Remember to bring Traxon and soluble tape."

"Unbelievable," Brennan said, watching Zack give a half-wave and this disappear after Cam. "Does she think I'm new at this? I developed the use of Traxon."

Moving toward Booth, Brennan looked up, and nodded at him.

Booth, distracted by the phone call, makes a 'silence' motion, cutting her off. Brennan scowled, and in response, Booth whispered, "On the phone, Bones."

Nodding in the direction of the door, Brennan said. "I know, get off. We have to go." She moved to pull at his arm. Booth's head snapped down as Brennan grabbed his arm, linked it with hers, and attempted to pull in him the direction of the door as he tried to continue his phone conversation. Brennan again forced herself to keep from smiling as she gave his biceps a firm squeeze before suddenly let it drop. Booth almost dropped the phone in shock.

Instead, Brennan let her thoughts return to Cam as she shook her head and said, "She took Zack. Zack's mine."

At this, Brennan started to feel torn between wanting to play a bit more with Booth and really wanting to get to the crime scene before Cam. Walking up behind him, Brennan repeatedly tapped him on the shoulder. Booth's head again pivoted in her direction. Brennan nodded at the door, and Booth shook his head furiously. Finally, concern over Cam compromising the remains won out as Brennan said to him, "I'll just meet you there."

She then turned and walked towards the lab doors. Booth, realizing that Brennan was, in fact, actually leaving, hurriedly finished his conversation and pocketing the phone, began to run after her calling, "Bones, wait up!"

Several hours later, after completing their work at the site, Brennan suppressed a smile as she saw Booth had returned.

Cam called out to him. "You get the S-O-B, Seeley?"

"I'm working on it, Camille, thank you very much," Booth said with a sigh. He was carrying two large cups of coffee. He immediately came over to Brennan and handed her one.

Moving to stand up from where she had been kneeling, Brennan took the cup gratefully and said, "Thanks."

"I thought some caffeine might be good about now," Booth said.

"It sure would," Cam chimed in, also standing up. "Where's mine, Seeley?"

"At the Starbucks about three miles that way," Booth pointed with a grin. "Sorry, Cam. Next time you need to place any special orders ahead of time."

Cam smirked as she snapped off her latex gloves. She walked up to Booth and said in a quiet voice, "Duly noted, because I *definitely* will have several special requests just for you in the very near future, Booth."

Brennan wasn't sure if Cam knew she could hear her, or if she just didn't care. Forcing herself to take a swallow of her drink, Brennan nodded at Booth. "We're done here, so, can you give me a ride back to the Jeffersonian or not?"

Shrugging, Booth said, "Yeah, sure. It's on the way."

Nodding, Brennan moved to grab her gear. Walking to the Sequoia, Brennan opened the backseat passenger door. Booth quirked an eyebrow at her, and she said, "What?"

"You not riding up front for any reason in particular?" Booth asked.

Brennan bit back the first retort that came to her lips – something along the lines of 'I thought Cam might want to sit there.' Instead, she merely replied, "I don't want to stow this gear in the back. Let me secure it and then I'll come up front."

"Okay," Booth said with a shrug.

Moving around to the driver's seat, Booth got in and put on his seat belt. Adjusting his mirror, he turned to see that Brennan had sat down on one of the passenger seats and was rummaging around her bags. Shaking his head, Booth put the car into reverse and began to drive.

A couple of minutes later, Brennan had laid a pile of clothing that she had liberated from her gear on the seat next to her. She couldn't exactly say why, as she and Angela hadn't really gotten around to discussing what *specific* type of things Brennan could do to get Booth's attention, but now seemed like an opportunity for her that was too perfect for her not to take advantage. This particular idea had been percolating in Brennan's mind for a couple of days. Brennan hadn't quite been sure if she had the gumption to actually go through with the plan before Cam's comment to Booth about 'making special requests' in the near future had annoyed her enough to spur her into action.

Waiting until they had actually gotten onto a stretch of road relatively devoid of traffic and stop lights, Brennan reached up and firmly pulled at the zipper on jump suit. She had already kicked off her work boots, and now all that remained was peeling the sweaty jumpsuit off before she could start to change into the pile of clothes that sat beside her. Brennan worked very hard to resist glancing up in Booth's direction. However, the tiny hairs on the back of her neck started to stand on end about thirty seconds after she had tugged at the zipper. Brennan knew she was being watched, and given the lack of an audience, if she were a betting woman, she would have put a hundred-dollar bill that she was being watched by Booth, most likely by him glancing in her rear view mirror. Curious as to see how far he would actually let things proceed before saying something and making his presence known, Brennan tugged the zipper again and pulled it all the way down.

Shrugging out of the jumpsuit, Booth immediately saw that Brennan was wearing one of the lace camisoles that she had bought with Angela. She wore it over her bra. It was nude in color, and stretched tight over her chest, Brennan knew that bits of color from her bra shimmered through the tank. More obviously, from the way in which the cami was stretched across her chest, portions of her bra peaked up over the cami's neckline. The particular bra that she was wearing today happened to be the lacy dark red one. The blood red satin gleamed in the daylight, and Brennan twisted once to free her arms completely from the jumpsuit. She let her gaze turn to the back for just a few seconds longer than normal as she tried her best to pull the jumpsuit out from under her. Biting back a smirk, and taking two or three quick breaths to help her maintain a straight face, Brennan innocently turned around when she heard Booth call to her.

"Hey, Bones."

"Yes, Booth?"

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but what in the hell are you doing back there?"

Brennan in the direction of the driver's seat and saw that, yes, he was looking back at her in the rearview mirror. Realizing it was now or never, Brennan reached down and pulled the cami off of her.

She maintained a casual tone as she said, "I wanted to change before we got back to the Jeffersonian. Cam said it was highly likely that we might encounter press about the Richardson case outside the main and employee entrances, so I wanted to make certain I was attired in something more appropriate than a field suit in case cameras were present."

Arching her back a bit so that her chest thrust out as she stretched, Brennan yawned.

"Geez, Bones!" Booth finally muttered.

Looking up innocently at him, Brennan said, "What?"

"You, ah, gonna finish getting dressed there or what?" Booth said, his gaze nervously darting back and forth between the road and the mirror.

"Oh, sorry," Brennan said with a shrug. "I'm just really stiff. When I was working on the remains, I had to hold this one position for a very, very long time, and I ache everywhere. My back, in particular, is throbbing."

Okay, those may have been a couple of lines that Angela had helped her save for 'an appropriate moment'. Brennan knew exactly what she said, but kept up her flawless performance as she quickly pulled on her change of clothing. After a couple of minutes, she then climbed from the back seat to the front, again, giving Booth an excellent view of her posterior attributes. Settling herself into the seat with a smile, she noticed that Booth looked more red than normal.

"You okay, Booth?" Brennan asked in a concerned voice.

"Yeah, sure, Bones. Why do you ask?" he answered, just a little too quickly.

Brennan shrugged. "No reason." She then paused before adding, "I hope the physical maneuvers necessitated by my changing clothes in the back seat didn't make things too hard for you while driving, Booth."

Although she couldn't have sworn to it in a court of law, Brennan thought she saw Booth's hands tighten around the steering wheel. She *did* see him swallow, before he replied in a very, very measured tone, "Naw, no biggie, Bones."

"Excellent," Brennan said. "I hate to inconvenience you." She paused and then said, "So how was it when you took in Kyle Richardson?"

"Oh, you know, Bones. It was pretty routine aside from the fact that we couldn't actually find him to arrest him," Booth said dejectedly.

"Well, I hope it wasn't too frustrating. But, I also know when everything is too routine it can be irksome for you. I know you hate it when things are too easy for you. What was it you said? You hate things that make you soft?" Brennan asked.

"Err… yeah," Booth said. "I much prefer a challenge."

"Do you think it's going to be too long?" Brennan inquired innocently.

Booth's head spun towards her in disbelief, "Ahhh, excuse me?"

"The time before we apprehend Carlie Richardson's husband. Do you think it's going to take a long time to find him?" Brennan clarified.

"Oh," Booth said, his eyes going back to the road. "I, ah, I don't know, Bones. Case like that…unless we get a tip, the guy could already be halfway to Central or South America by now."

"Such an arduous journey would no doubt require a tremendous amount of skill and stamina to be able to penetrate the US border if he traveled over land to Mexico," Brennan mused.

"Penetrate?" Booth said, obviously having heard nothing more after that single word. "What about penetration?"

Brennan turned to him and said, "The US-Mexico border, Booth," Brennan said. "If Kyle traveled overland as a wanted fugitive, getting across the border to make his way into Central or South America would be a very difficult task to undertake successfully."

Booth's head inclined at hers as he shook it, refocused his eyes, and said, "Yeah, border… penetrating the border, right."

"Even with the recent swelling of border patrol law enforcement officials, I have read several reports that detailed the numerous holes that exist throughout the US-Mexico southern border," Brennan remarked.

"Huh," Booth said. "How about that."

"It gets even worse when everything's wet," Brennan continued.

"Wet?" Booth asked, his voice trailing off.

Nodding, Brennan said, "During the summer months when heavy rains cause the rivers to extend beyond their normal boundaries, it makes some areas very remote for the border patrols to access. They have discussed instituting a pump and dump system to reduce some of the swelling in certain areas that are most often frequented by those who wish to cross the border illegally, but there has been some technological issues with the pump motors. Apparently, they tend to grind themselves to the point that the engine blows out. The amount of money they would need to get a better prototype... well, there just doesn't seem to be a lot of financial backing available to support the idea."

"So they have problems pumping and grinding?" Booth muttered. "That's... ah, fascinating, Bones. Really interesting."

"I had no idea that you were interested in the subject, Booth. I'm actually very surprised that you've let me ramble on about it for as long as you have considering the fact that I just thrust the discussion on you."

His eyes widening a bit, Booth said, "Wait. What are you thrusting at me?"

Brennan stifled a chuckle as she said, "Are you okay, Booth? You seem even more flushed than you were several minutes ago, and your previous comment seems to indicate that you weren't really paying attention to what I was saying.."

"Ummm," Booth suddenly reached for the air conditioning controls, and flicked it up to the maximum setting. "Yeah, Bones. Like I said, I'm fine. And I *was* paying attention to every word you said. It's just, ah, hot. Very warm in here, that's all."

Brennan nodded, but when she turned away from Booth to look out the window, she smiled slightly knowing, for once, Booth was definitely paying attention to no one else but her… and she liked it.

* * *

><p>-TBC-<p> 


	4. Ch 3: Cam's Past with Booth

Competing with Cam

By: Lesera128

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing... Obviously. Just playing in someone else's sandbox for a bit.

Summary: An email from Zack brings Brennan home early just as Cam is about to be hired by the Jeffersonian. A competition for the boss's job and Booth ensues. AU.

* * *

><p>Chapter 3 – Cam's Past with Booth<p>

* * *

><p>The following week found Booth and Brennan sitting in the diner. It was lunch time, and for some inexplicable reason, Booth's traditional hamburger, french fries, and chocolate milk shake had come out before Brennan's veggie burger, side salad, and strawberry milkshake. Depositing it on the table with an apologetic smile, Nora, their normal waitress reassured Brennan that her food was due from the pipeline at any minute. Nora's reassuring words seemed hopefully prophetic when she brought Brennan's strawberry milkshake only a minute or so later. However, the shake didn't seem like it would be able to appease Brennan's stomach, which had been rumbling with hunger pains for several minutes by the time Nora set it on the table with an apologetic smile. It had been an early morning for both of them, and the coffee and bagel Brennan had consumed en route to a new crime scene had been eaten many hours ago. Hearing her stomach rumble again, Booth looked up at her with a chuckle as he saw Brennan frown at the noises.<p>

"What?" Brennan asked, a tad defensively.

"Hungry, Bones?" Booth asked.

Frowning, Brennan said, "Yes, I am... as you well know. It's been *hours* since we ate breakfast. I am metaphorically starving."

Glancing at their waitress, who seemed to be buzzing back and forth from the kitchen to every table in the diner but theirs, Booth nodded. "It looks like with the lunch rush, they're slammed."

"I don't know what's so difficult about a veggie burger and a side salad. At this point, I wouldn't even mind if she just brought the side salad out so I could at least start on that," Brennan grumbled.

"Maybe they ran out of fake burgers and had to send one of the bus boys out front to get some grass clippings for your salad?" Booth smirked.

Scowling at his taunt, Brennan said, "That's very amusing, Booth."

Smiling, Booth retorted, "I thought so, too."

Again, however, Brennan's stomach rumbled louder. She looked away from Booth and was attempting to content herself with the strawberry milkshake when her stomach rumbled louder. Feeling a bit guilty, Booth pushed the bottle of ketchup towards her, and said, "Here."

"What?"

"A squint cannot survive on milkshakes alone. Come on, you know you want some," Booth offered.

Brennan stole a look at the fries. They looked warm and appetizing, and she really, really wanted some. But, then Brennan frowned. Stealing the occasional french fry from Booth's plate as they ate so that she could nibble on them was one thing, but accepting the bottle of ketchup was a bit too much for her… normally. It would mean that she would have to be openly indebted to Booth, and that would normally bother her. That idea didn't sit well with Brennan: capitulation. The notion of giving into him irked her. However, as her stomach rumbled again, Brennan rethought the crux of her current predicament: starvation versus pride. Taking a few seconds mentally to debate the pros and cons of giving in to each, at last, starvation won out. Taking the ketchup bottle from him, Booth chuckled as he watched Brennan pull the plate closer to her and turn it so that the french fries were facing her. Realizing that Booth was watching her, Brennan suddenly knew that she was being presented with another golden opportunity. If she could pull it off, Brennan thought, she might be able to have a bit of fun with Booth to sooth her ego about having to take his offering of the fries while, at the same time, to continue focusing his attention on *her* instead of Cam. Yes, it was a golden opportunity and one that she didn't intend to waste. Brennan fought back a pleased grin that threatened to crack the stoic veneer of her face.

Instead, flipping open the ketchup bottle's lip with a single flick of her wrist, Brennan smiled at her partner as she said, "Thanks, Booth. That's very kind of you."

"Sure, no problem, Bones. You know my food is community property. You're always welcome to whatever I have," Booth chuckled.

"Oh, really?" Brennan asked.

Booth nodded. "'Course, Bones. That's what partners do, right?"

"I suppose you're correct, yes," Brennan answered vaguely.

She wasn't really concentrating on the words as Booth had some other retort. Instead, Brennan focused on the object in her hands, intently concentrating as she squeezed the ketchup bottle very firmly, and her efforts resulted in a spray of the red condiment flowing from the bottle to the plate to accumulate in a small pile near the french fries. Brennan lifted the bottle up and down as she squeezed the ketchup out. Booth watched with interest as Brennan flicked the top closed and then set the bottle down gently on the table. Taking her finger, Brennan dipped it in the ketchup, and brought her ketchup-covered finger slowly to her mouth. Sucking on her finger for a moment, Brennan nodded her appreciation as she then removed her finger with an audible *pop*. Brennan forced herself not to look at Booth, even though she could feel his gaze tightly focused on her. Grabbing a fry, she slowly dipped it in the ketchup and lifted it to her lips. Closing her eyes as she opened her mouth, Brennan put the entire french fry into her mouth in one bite. As she closed her mouth, she slowly began to chew and sighed softly in contentment before she swallowed. Brennan knew that she had taken an unusual amount of time to eat a single fry, but the prolonged act had more than one purpose besides providing her with sustenance.

At last, Brennan slowly opened her eyes and allowed a languid gaze to fix on Booth. He hadn't moved a single millimeter since he had handed her the ketchup bottle. Riveted, his eyes had focused intently on her. Brennan thought she heard a bit of roughness in Booth's voice that had not been there before as he nodded at her and said, "The fries good today, Bones?"

"Mmmm hmmm," Brennan said slowly. "They're *perfect*."

"Oh?"

"Yes," Brennan said. "They're wonderful. Hard and crisp on the outside, soft and tangy on the inside. I believe this is a fresh batch, as I do not think they have been sitting under a heat lamp long enough to make them soggy. Would you like one, Booth?"

She took a fry and made a big deal of reaching down, thrusting it into the ketchup, covering it, and then lifting the fry to Booth in offering. Brennan was curious to know if he would take her up on the offer, fraught as it was with symbolism and double meaning. Brennan was somewhat surprised when Booth didn't lift his arm to take the french fry, but merely opened his mouth. Brennan smiled, and her hand moved forward a bit. She grazed the side of his mouth with the end of the fry that had ketchup on it, leaving a bit of the condiment at the side of his mouth. Booth's eyes had darkened as she moved her hand closer to his waiting mouth... and then promptly withdrew her hand, put the fry in her own mouth, and began to chew vigorously.

The spell between the broken, Booth's eyes narrowed as he said, "Don't you know it's dangerous to tease an animal when it's feeding, Bones?"

Smiling, she said, "I may have heard that particular axiom before, but in this specific case, I can honestly and legitimately say with complete accuracy and utterly clarity that I'm not afraid of anything or *anyone* at all... in even the slightest."

"That's either very brave or very foolish, Bones," he replied.

Brennan inclined her head at him, but didn't break their intense stare. She fought against the flush of warmth that was threatening to overwhelm her. Instead, Brennan then said innocently, "Is something wrong with your burger, Booth?"

Quickly shaking his head, Booth said, "No? Why?"

"Well," Brennan began. "It's just that you haven't touched your food at all, and it must be getting cold. I hope you aren't holding yourself back on my account." Booth arched an eyebrow at Brennan as she added, "Please, go ahead and eat. Don't wait for me."

"That would be very, very selfish, Bones. We came here together, and I never like to be greedy and leave my partner unsatisfied," Booth said.

"Yes," Brennan said. "I can see where you'd be like that."

"Do you now?"

"Yes."

"Booth?"

"What, Bones?"

"Your burger's really getting cold. You should eat it before it's ruined," Brennan said, as she pointed at the burger.

Suddenly, somehow realizing that they had shifted in someway to now be talking about the actual burger, Booth looked down at it and realized the validity of her words.

"Errrmm, okay," Booth said, moving to grab the burger.

The next couple of moments passed in silence between the pair as Booth ate the burger, but Brennan refrained from grabbing any more french fries. Once he had eaten most of the burger in an alarming number of few very big bites, Brennan decided she had watched enough and again wanted to tease him a bit. Her decision made, Brennan reached for her milkshake. She began to play with the straw, absentmindedly running her fingers up and down the half that was visible over the edge of her glass. Then, grabbing the glass, Brennan raised the milkshake to her mouth and wrapped her lips around the straw. She had to force herself not to laugh as she made several sucking sounds, imagining how her cheeks looked as she tried to drink some of the thick milkshake through the straw. Normally, she would have reached for a spoon by now, but Brennan was having far too much fun playing with Booth. When she finally managed to get a large chunk of ice cream through the straw and into her mouth, she swallowed with gusto. Suddenly, choking sounds began to emanate from in front of her. Glancing at Booth, she saw him reach for a glass of water. Waving her off to indicate he was okay, Brennan looked on with clear interest as her partner continued to sputter.

Booth coughed once or twice more, pounded on his chest once, and then smiled weakly at Brennan.

"You okay, Booth?" Brennan finally asked.

Nodding, Booth said, in a scratchy voice. "Yeah. Something… err, something just went down the wrong pipe. I'm good, now, though…."

"Okay," Brennan said.

Returning her focus to the milk shake, Brennan lifted the glass to her mouth and took a couple of very deep sips. She sighed a small sigh of contentment as she placed the glass back on the table. Brennan could still feel a small bit of coldness at the edge of her mouth, but she was curious to see if Booth would say something or not.

"Err, Bones," Booth said.

"Yes, Booth?"

"You've, ahh, got a bit of milkshake at the… ummm, there," he pointed at her mouth.

Brennan's mouth moved to form a small o-shape. Reaching for her napkin, Booth thought he would be safe, but instead, Brennan's tongue darted out to the side of her mouth. It was a fast movement, but she quickly licked away the offending area he had indicated.

Smiling, she nodded at him. "Did I get it, Booth?"

Let out a large sigh, Booth nodded. "Oh, yeah, Bones. You *definitely* got it. Definitely."

* * *

><p>What had started off as a relatively amusing morning became a more hellacious day for Brennan thanks to the attitude of one Dr. Camille Saroyan. Brennan stood with Angela in Cam's autopsy suite having just finished arguing about how best to proceed in the Kevin Crane murder investigation. Realizing she was at an impasse, Brennan shook her head at Cam.<p>

"You are being completely unreasonable. I want Hodgins on that rose," Brennan said.

"It's my call," Cam said. "No."

"It's not your call, as you well know, Dr. Saroyan. This has nothing to do clearly with either the osteological or pathological aspects of this case. That means it is a joint decision that *both* of us need to make. And, I say that Hodgins needs to study the rose angle."

"And, I say no. So, it seems we're at an impasse, Dr. Brennan," Cam retorted.

Shaking her head in disgusted frustration, Brennan scoffed, "I can't work like this."

"So, does that mean I don't have to finish waiting out the ninety-day trial period to let the Board know that not only have you conceded the boss' position to me, but that you're also telling me I should start looking for your replacement?" Cam asked with a fake smile pasted on her face.

Brennan's frame stiffened, and she had almost taken a step towards Cam when Angela realized in which direction her friend's response to the pathologist was currently headed. In an attempt to diffuse the situation, Angela took a step towards Cam herself, and she said, "Dr. Saroyan, I don't want to be overly dramatic or anything but if you lose Brennan, you lose us all."

Looking at the artist, Cam replied, "Really?"

Nodding, Angela answered. "Really." She then paused for only a second, and then added, "And, Booth, too."

Cam stared at Angela for a moment. She then glanced to Brennan who was silent, but radiating fury. Realizing that she knew when to pick her battles, and this skirmish was not one that she was going to win right now, Cam inclined her head towards Brennan.

"In the interest of this investigation, I'm going to defer to you, Dr. Brennan. If you want Hodgins to start working on the rose, fine," Cam conceded.

A sigh escaping her lips, Brennan nodded back at Cam. "Thank you," she replied tersely.

Angela, realizing that a Mexican stand-off and potential disaster had been seemingly avoided, also breathed a sigh of relief as she said looked at Cam and said, "Thank you."

Cam ignored Angela, but nodded at Brennan as she said, "However, despite my concession on this current case issue, I think one thing's become patently clear over the past few weeks. At the end of this probationary period, whoever is in charge… I think it's fair to say that neither one of us is going to be able to work here long-term under the other. I think it only fair that we inform the Board of this… latest piece of information so that they can be prepared to start the search for one of our… replacements."

Angela opened her mouth for a moment, but promptly snapped it shut when Brennan shook her head. Looking at Cam, Brennan than said, "You do what you need to do, Dr. Saroyan… as will I."

At that, Brennan turned to leave with Angela. The pair were almost to the door, when Cam spoke and stopped her as she said, "Dr. Brennan, can I speak with you for a minute?"

Angela stopped walking and turned to follow Brennan back to where they had been standing. Cam, however, inclined her head at Angela as she said, "In private, if you please?"

Again, Brennan nodded at Angela. The artist took one look at her friend and nodded. "I'll be waiting for you in your office, Bren. Yell if you need me."

"Thanks, Ange," Brennan said.

After Angela left, Brennan turned to Cam who had sat on the edge of her desk with her arms folded. Nodding at the door, Cam said, "Your friends are very loyal to you, Dr. Brennan."

"Yes, well, Angela's like that," Brennan said.

"No," Cam said. "It's not just Angela. The entire team… Zach, Hodgins… hell, you even seem to have a man like Booth ready to commit hara-kiri ready for you with just the blink of one of your eyelashes at him."

Brennan frowned at Cam's words. "I am not certain why you are making a reference to ritual suicide by disembowelment, which is more accurately referred to in Japanese culture as Seppuku, by the way, regarding Agent Booth's relationship with me."

"That's just it, Dr. Brennan," Cam said. "You may not know this because I know that Seeley doesn't like to speak much about his personal life, but—"

Waving her hand quickly, Brennan said, "I'm sorry. But, I must inquire. Why do you continue to refer to him by his first name when Agent Booth has made it patently clear that he does not prefer to be called by that name?"

"Because," Cam said. "That's what I've always called him. I knew Seeley before he started having everyone call him Booth. And, to me, he'll always be 'Seeley'."

"So, you impose on your long-standing affiliation with Booth because of your own personal preference and your inability to respect *his* wishes on the matter?" Brennan said. Shaking her head in disbelief, Brennan said, "I find that immensely inconsiderate and disrespectful, Dr. Saroyan."

Shrugging, Cam said, "Well, it really doesn't matter what your opinion is on the matter, Dr. Brennan, seeing as how that goes to what I was saying before… Seeley and I have a history… a past association, if you will. I've known Booth and his entire family for years, and that's why I can't figure out why he seems to be devoted to you as he is… I mean, no offense or anything, but usually I'd say it was for only one of two reasons. However, since I know it can't be because of… well, reason number one, I'm at a loss as to what it might be. I mean... I'm fairly sure you don't fall into the first category as to why Booth lets women get away with what I've seen him tolerate from you because, well... you just aren't Seeley's normal type. He… how shall we say… likes his women either blonde, leggy, and with long hair… or dusky and feisty… like me," Cam said slyly.

Brennan forced her mouth into a firm line, refusing to allow her mouth to open slack jawed at Cam's blatant innuendo. Cam used the silence as an opportunity to continue speaking.

"So, as I said, that rules out reason number one," Cam was saying. "Which means, it could be reason number 2… i.e., that for some reason, Booth is loyal to you because he thinks you're a good friend. But, and again, no offense is intended when I say this… I just don't see how his measure of a good friend could be found in someone as… cold and unfeeling… and mechanical as you are, Dr. Brennan."

At this, Brennan's eyes narrowed as she said, "Despite the fact that I know Agent Booth would take umbrage with your presumptions, Dr. Saroyan, the simple fact of the matter is that you don't know nearly as much as you think you do about either me… or Agent Booth."

Cam thought about Brennan's words for a moment, and then said, "You know what, Dr. Brennan? You're right… partially. I may not know you as well as I think I do. But, I do know this… I know, Booth. And, my advice is this… if you value him as a colleague, as a friend—"

"He's my partner," Brennan amended. "*My* partner, Dr. Saroyan."

"Fine," Cam said. "If you value him because he's your partner, my advice to you is this… when the ninety days are up, don't make him chose. He loves working with the Jeffersonian. I've known Booth a long time, and I've rarely seen him as engaged as I have in the time since I've been working here."

"And, you think that's just because he's working cases with Jeffersonian personnel?" Brennan asked, with a slight nod of her head.

"Of course," Cam said. "What else could it be?"

Brennan chuckled for a moment, and then said, "It never crossed your mind that *I* might be the reason that Booth seems… how did you put it? As 'engaged' as you've ever seen him, Dr. Saroyan?"

Cam looked at Brennan for a moment and then slowly shook her head. "You know, Dr. Brennan. I did think about that … possibility. But, as I said, after careful consideration for the aforementioned reasons that I don't think need to be repeated, I'm not certain how you could be significant enough to affect a man like Booth to that level."

"But, you think you can?" Brennan countered, suddenly feeling her frustrated annoyance transitioning to indignant anger at Saroyan's arrogance and condescending behavior.

"Yes," Cam said, after a few seconds. "As I mentioned, but Booth and I go back a long time. *Way* back," Cam emphasized.

"And, so you think that just because you've had a prior sexual relationship with Agent Booth that it makes you some sort of expert on him?" Brennan asked.

"My, my, you're quite blunt, aren't you?" Cam said.

Brennan inclined her head. "As you well know. Now, I must insist, you stop deflecting and answer my question."

"Frankly, Dr. Brennan, I don't see how my previous personal relationship with Agent Booth is any more your business, than your lack of a current intimate relationship with him is any more of my business," Cam said.

At this, Brennan shook her head and said, "You think that just because you come waltzing back into my lab, into Booth's life, you can pick up right where you two left off years ago, don't you?"

Noticing the shift in the tone and meaning of her words, Cam straightened herself up a bit and said, "And, if I did? What business is that to you? Especially considering the fact that the FBI policy only prohibits personal relationships between agents… and their *partners*… not other secondary consultants… which, because of your *partnership* with Booth, I am?"

"I think you would find," Brennan began softly. "That such efforts would be met with… a lack of interest on Booth's part, and, ultimately, be a waste of your time."

At this, Cam chuckled. "Oh, really? And, why's that?"

"Because," Brennan said. "Booth… is otherwise… engaged."

Cam shook her head. "Now, I know *that's* not true. He broke up with his last girlfriend six months ago… and that relationship was casual, at best."

"And, how do you know that?" Brennan asked.

"Easy," Cam said with a shrug. "I asked him, and Seeley told me."

Brennan fought to hide back her reactive scowl and then said, "Things may have changed, Dr. Saroyan, since last you spoke with him on matters of… a personal nature. So, my counsel to you is this… tread *carefully*."

"Thanks for the advice, Dr. Brennan… but, where Booth is concerned, I think I'll take my chances," Cam told her. "After all… not that you would know… but a guy like Booth? He's worth the risk. And then some."

"Are we done now?" Brennan snapped suddenly. "I have work that needs to be done."

"By all means," Cam said, gesturing towards the door. "By all means."

* * *

><p>By the time that Brennan entered her office, she was beyond fuming. Angela sat on her couch waiting for her. She could tell by the rigid stance of Brennan's posture, her clenched fists, and red face that her best friend was pissed off. No, pissed off wasn't quite the right word, Angela realized. Brennan was beyond being merely pissed off. She was *furious*… and, all because of one Dr. Camille Saroyan.<p>

Slamming the door shut behind her, Brennan began to pace back and forth in front of the couch. Angela, ever the mindful person when it came to her best friend's reputation, began to close the office blinds so that no one could see Brennan's current response to her 'private' conversation with Saroyan and let the details get back to the pathologist.

After several minutes of Brennan walking back and forth in front of the couch in sharp, measured paces, Angela called to get her friend's attention.

"Okay, Bren, that's enough," Angela said gently.

Spinning on her heels, Brennan narrowed her angry gaze at Angela as she said, "I find that if I stop this pattern for more than a few seconds, I may be tempted to return to Dr. Saroyan's autopsy suite and proceed to commence on her, Angela. So, I might rethink your original assessment."

Shrugging, Angela said, "Okay. I get it. You either keep pacing or smack Cam upside the head. If the Board of Directors wouldn't see the later one as a decided strike against you as far as the job goes, sweetie, I'd be all for the later one. So, if you want to keep pacing, fine. Just tell me what she said."

"I am not going to repeat her ludicrous verbiage," Brennan said instantly. "Suffice to say, she all but confirmed your prior assumption that she and Booth had once engaged in a sexual relationship—"

"Whoa!" Angela exclaimed. "She did what?"

"And, then she proceeded to all bit inform me that she intends to pick up where she and Booth left off right now," Brennan said. "That is *not* going to happen, Angela. It's just… not."

"Of course, it's not," Angela agreed. "You want Booth, so you're going to get him. I've never doubted that you can achieve just about any goal you set your mind to, Bren. But…."

"But?" Brennan said.

"But," Angela said thoughtfully. "Maybe… seeing as how Ms. Cam over there seems awfully sure of herself… maybe we need to give her some reason to start having some doubt."

"Such as?" Brennan asked, slowing her pacing as she looked to her friend.

"Such as," Angela continued. "I think it maybe time to take things to the next level with you and Booth."

"He has been reacting… I'm not quite sure how to describe his reaction to my recent increase in verbal and physical double entendres," Brennan said, not helping herself as she smiled, recalling their earlier episode at the dinner. "If I didn't know better, I'd say I've definitely got his attention, Ange… but..." Brennan's voice trailed off.

Angela, looking at her friend, saw the dreaded look of insecurity start to tug at Brennan's visage. Realizing that not only advice, but *also* another pep talk was needed, Angela prompted gently, "But?"

"But," Brennan finally continued. "I know I'm flirting with him, Ange, but… he doesn't... well, before today it didn't seem like he was interested in flirting back with me. I can tell that my actions have gotten his attention, but he doesn't seem to be… responding very well."

"Then," Angela said. "He's not getting a clear enough signal, Bren."

"Or, he's not interested," Brennan said dejectedly.

"Ha!" Angela chuckled. "Like I said, hun, if there's one thing I know it's men. And, Special Agent Seeley Booth has been interested in you since day one."

"So, if he's interested, but not responding to my overtures, what do I do next?" Brennan asked. "I mean, yes, he's said a couple of things that could imply his sexual interest. But, they were also innocent enough where I might be misconstruing their meaning because of my own desires. By superimposing my hoped for outcome within the framework of my interpretation, I really might be making more of what's there with Booth."

"Then you need to escalate the situation," Angela said. "Normally, with a guy like Booth, I'd be reluctant to advise you to make the first move. But… especially with Cam on the prowl, we need to take things to the next level… or go just as far as we can while still leaving the choice to Booth."

"And, how do you suggest I do that, again?" Brennan inquired.

Angela thought for a minute and then said, "You remember that corset we bought at Macys? And, the BCBG heels?"

Brennan nodded.

"I think it's time you wore them, Bren. And… with just the right amount of prodding, I bet we can put you in the perfect position to be able to get Booth to finally make a move," Angela said.

"What if he doesn't, Ange?" Brennan asked, her voice becoming very soft as the fear of rejection crept into her tone.

"Oh, sweetie," Angela came over and pulled her friend into a fierce hug. "Believe me. Once we're done with Booth, he won't have any choice but to come and get you. He won't be able to help himself."

"You're sure?" Brennan asked.

Angela nodded. "As sure as my name is Angela Montenegro."

"Of course, didn't you tell me that you changed your name to that when you were 18?" Brennan said.

"Okay, how about this? I'm as sure that Booth will make a move after you and I are done with him as you are that you can tell a scapula from a stapes in less than 2 seconds," Angela chuckled.

At this, Brennan laughed. "In other words, 100% positive?"

Angela nodded again. Brennan, unable to help herself, smiled in return. Pulling away, Brennan went to go sit on the couch. Angela sat down beside her, and she turned to face her friend.

"So, what do we do next besides the corset and the heels?" Brennan inquired.

"You get Booth in a confined space, get close to him, and see what happens," Angela said, with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"You think I need to get physical with him?" Brennan asked.

Nodding slowly, "Depending on how you define the term 'physical'… yeah. I do. I think it's past time, actually. Now, here's what you need to do—"

* * *

><p>-TBC-<p> 


	5. Ch 4: Brennan's Past with Booth

Competing with Cam

By: Lesera128

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing... Obviously. Just playing in someone else's sandbox for a bit.

Summary: An email from Zack brings Brennan home early just as Cam is about to be hired by the Jeffersonian. A competition for the boss's job and Booth ensues. AU.

* * *

><p>Chapter 4 – Brennan's Past with Booth<p>

* * *

><p>If there was one thing that her impromptu competition Camille Saroyan had taught Brennan, it was there was a subtle, but *significant* distinction between a woman who was confident with her sexuality versus a woman who was confident with being sexual. As she had told Angela, there was one thing that Brennan had never had any difficulty with and that was feeling comfortable in her sexuality. However, feeling confident and comfortable with being sexual… well, that Brennan was learning appeared to be a different situation entirely.<p>

On Angela's advice after she had informed her best friend of her most recent conversation with Cam, Brennan had dug out the dark purple corset. The duo had bought the top at Macys, and Brennan liberated it from the depths of her dresser to which she had relegated it some weeks earlier. It really was a pretty garment, Brennan had to concede, as she ran her fingers over the soft and sleek material. Shiny purple satin was overlaid with a mesh covering of black lace. It flattered Brennan's coloring very much, particularly bringing out the blue in her eyes. Brennan probably would have conceded to Angela's request that she purchase it anyway, even if her friend hadn't also pointed out that the fact such a garment could be (somewhat) respectively worn underneath a suit jacket. Brennan had placed the corset on a lingerie hanger and left it where she could promptly see it and get at it. Now, all she had to do was wait for the perfect opportunity to wear it. She didn't have to wait long.

Several days after her heated exchange with Dr. Camille Saroyan, Brennan received an early morning text message from Booth. There was a new case, and he would pick her up at her place in half an hour. The perfect opportunity, Brennan suddenly realized, had finally arrived.

Throwing herself out of bed, a surge of adrenaline had pushed away her normal grogginess as Brennan hurriedly raced around her bedroom and bathroom getting ready. Curling her hair under normal conditions with absolutely no pressure was something that Brennan usually had little patience with, so she fought to keep her frustration under control. Finishing her hair, Brennan struggle, into the corset and quickly pulled on a fairly unremarkable suit over it. Pushing her feet into the black patent leather peep-toe heels, Brennan kept glancing at the clock every few minutes, as the time seemed to melt away in an unusually accelerated manner. She spent the last few minutes hastily putting on her makeup, choosing colors a bit more vibrant and defining her eyes with a subtle smoky look that differed significantly from her normal make-up regimen. By the time Booth texted her again a half hour later, informing her that he was waiting downstairs, Brennan took a deep breath and nodded to herself once to bolster her confidence. She looked the part, now it was time to play her hand.

Having fully committed herself to what Angela had jokingly referred to Operation Escalation: Bag-a-Booth, Brennan was somewhat unsteady on her feet as she exited her building. The normal black pinstripe pant suit she wore didn't differ significantly from the attire Booth often saw Brennan wear on days when he knew she anticipated more meetings than time in the lab. However, once he got a closer look, Brennan knew, that is when she would be able to see if her plan to escalate things had a chance in being outstandingly successful or spectacularly disastrous.

On this particular morning, when Booth finally did watch his partner emerge from her apartment building, he was casually leaning against the SUV's passenger side door. Booth glanced at his watch as he watched Brennan rushing out the front door of her building. Noting that she was a few minutes later than she had said she would be, and fully intending to chide her for being a whole three minutes late, when her eyes finally met his, Booth's well-laid plans disappeared from his head in one big puff of smoke. Brennan was scowling a bit as she walked forward, juggling her purse, laptop bag, and a larger gym bag that, on a normal day, Booth would know probably contained an extra change of clothes. However, on this particular morning, Booth didn't really register anything as Brennan cursed silently, stumbling a bit in the heels she wore as she walked towards him.

In fact, Booth's brain had stopped processing information beyond the exact second in time that he had gazed upon Brennan and seen how she had dressed that day. If the facts that she had curled her hair and was wearing far more makeup than she normally favored hadn't been enough to shout out the variation in her current attire as compared with her normal style, the heels *definitely* would have caught his attention. Fun, feminine, and about two inches taller than Booth had ever seen Brennan favor, the black patent leather heels screamed sexy at him. Booth was staring appreciatively at how the heels gave Brennan just enough added height to accentuate certain curves when she walked up to the SUV and tossed her gym bag towards him.

"Hi, Booth," Brennan said cheerfully, her earlier momentary scowl having vanished. "Sorry I'm late. I couldn't find my keys."

Her words breaking the spell that had fallen over him, Booth nodded dumbly at her as he managed to string together a somewhat coherent response. "No problem. I just got here."

"Great," Brennan said with a smile. Despite the fact that it was not quite 7:30am in the morning, Brennan made a point to wave her hand back in front of her face in a very sad attempt to fan herself. Shaking her head, she said to Booth, "God, it's getting hot, isn't it?"

"Ummmm…."

Opening the passenger door, Brennan didn't wait for a response. Setting her laptop bag and purse down on the floor of the front seat, Brennan than reached around and shrugged out of her unbuttoned suit jacket. Deciding to hang it on the back of her seat, as Booth often did with his jackets to keep them from wrinkling, Brennan leaned into the SUV. Hanging the jacket over the back of her headrest, Brennan bit back a smile as raised her curvy posterior slightly in the air for Booth's viewing pleasure, although she hoped it looked like she was just trying to get the jacket to hang straight. Holding the pose just a few more seconds longer than she really needed to, Brennan felt Booth's eyes on her. Her goal accomplished, Brennan stood straight and turned to face Booth. He hadn't moved a single inch, nor made any sounds since she had taken off her jacket.

Looking up at him, Brennan said, "Booth?"

Blinking his eyes several times in rapid success, Booth suddenly realized that Brennan had spoken.

"Uhhh, you say something there, Bones?" he managed to choke out.

"Just wondering if everything was okay?" Brennan said. "You're staring at me."

"Oh, I am?" Booth said, suddenly coming to his senses.

"Yes," Brennan confirmed. "You were. Is something wrong?"

Shaking his head, Booth said quickly, "No, no. Nothing's wrong. Everything's great."

Taking a step towards him, Brennan decided that it was now or never if she was going to stand any chance in ditching her more subtle efforts to seduce Booth in favor of going with the overtly blatant. Closing the distance between them so that only a couple of centimeters remained to separate them, Brennan asked, "If everything's great, then why were you staring at me, Booth? Don't I look okay?"

Booth forced himself to swallow, noticing that Brennan was close enough once again that he could smell her… and it was that scent. He suddenly realized the scent coming from her was the same scent he had smelled in her office the first day of the Carlie Richardson case. Was she wearing perfume? That was certainly what it smelled like to Booth. Brennan was wearing perfume… some type of vanilla and amber concoction that had already set his head spinning. Since when did Brennan wear perfume? Since when did she do anything this… girly?

His rational mind still grappling with the answers to these questions, the more base part of his mind suddenly demanded more control over operating capacity of his body as Brennan's eyes narrowed at him. Booth started to feel a warmth radiate off of her, as she eyed him saucily.

Her lip darting out to lick the corner of her mouth, Brennan said, "Well, Booth?"

"Well, what, Bones?" Booth choked out.

"You didn't answer my question."

"And, what was that again?"

"Do you see anything you like?" Brennan said, breathlessly.

"Ummm…" Booth, uncertain how to respond, tried to come up with an appropriate response. At last, he said weakly, struggling to maintain the tenuous grip he held on his quickly fading self-control, "Is that a new top?"

Brennan's tongue again darted to the other side of her mouth this time before she smiled a teasing smile as she said, "Maybe." She inclined her head at Booth as she added, "Do you like it?"

"It's… err, very pretty, Bones," Booth admitted.

"Hmmm," Brennan frowned.

"What?" Booth said, somewhat confused by her frown.

"I didn't buy it because I wanted to look pretty, Booth. I bought it because I thought it would make me look sexy," Brennan said. a bit of a taunt coming into her voice.

"Oh?"

"Yes," she replied. "Perhaps I need to return it if it's failing to fulfill the purpose for which I intended it to achieve."

Shaking his head furiously, Booth grunted, "Don't take it back."

"Why?"

"Because," Booth said, his eyes never breaking contact with hers. "It's doing exactly what you bought it for," Booth told her.

"So... you *do* think I look sexy in it?" Brennan asked slowly.

Booth took a couple of steps in her direction, coming so near her that he was able to lean his head in close to hers, so close that although they weren't touching, he was still near enough that she could feel the warm moisture of his breath on her bear shoulder. "Why are you doing this to me?" he half-whispered, half-moaned, their exchange no longer a game.

Realizing the density shift, Brennan replied, "Doing what?"

"Trying to drive me crazy?" Booth said.

Taking a step back, Brennan knew she needed to give him a *little* space. As she moved, Brennan didn't break eye contact with him as she increased the physical distance between Booth and herself. However, when a couple of feet safely separated them, Brennan said, "I'm not trying to drive you crazy... not literally, anyway." She paused for a second before she clarified, "Maybe I've just been trying to get your attention."

"And, why would you want to do that?" Booth asked, his voice suddenly very, very hoarse.

"If you need to ask me that question, obviously I'm not doing a good enough job making myself clear," Brennan said, a bit of sadness creeping into her voice.

Sighing, she turned her back on him… and suddenly, before she realized what had happened, Brennan found herself pinned up against the side of SUV. Even though Brennan's back was to Booth, she could feel the tension falling off of him in waves. Leaning his head in next to hers, Booth moved his mouth from the bottom of her shoulder blade and up the soft skin of her neck, trailing a series of small kisses upward towards her ear. Brennan allowed herself the luxury of closing her eyes as she leaned back into him and felt a delicious tightness begin to build in her stomach and start to move downward from there. Booth's breath gave her goose bumps as he inhaled her hair deeply and then sighed in contentment.

Bringing his lips to her earlobe, he whispered, "If you don't know that you've had my *complete* and undivided attention long before this recent little game you've been playing with me lately, you're not as smart as I thought you were, Bones."

"So, you're saying… you've gotten my signal?" Brennan asked.

"Depends," Booth countered.

"On what?" Brennan said.

"On what your signal was trying to tell me," Booth breathed.

"What do you think it was trying to tell you, Booth?"

"I think," Booth said. "That you've been pushing… testing boundaries… to try and see how much you could get away with as far as I was concerned."

"That's not an answer to my question," Brennan said. "What do you think I've been trying to tell you?"

"I think," he began. "I think you've been trying to tell me something that I'm not certain if you know can't be taken back once you've actually sent the signal, and I've acknowledged its reception, Bones," Booth said quietly. "Not about this, not now, not here, not with me."

"And, what if I know *exactly* what I'm doing... and knowing all that, I still have no desire to take it back?" Brennan said.

"Then," Booth said. "We've got a problem."

Raising her head to look back over her shoulder, Brennan stared into Booth's eyes, somewhat afraid of what she might find there. "And, what problem would that be?"

Nodding at her, Booth said, "That would be the problem of how we're going to explain why we never showed up at the crime scene we're supposed to be at in about a half hour or less."

"And, remind me again why we aren't going to make it to the crime scene?" Brennan asked, suddenly feeling a heady giddiness overwhelm her.

"Because," Booth said, leaning into her so that she could feel the pressure of his growing erection as he leaned into the back of her legs. "If that's a message I receive and acknowledge right now, I'm afraid we won't make it to the crime scene because I'm going to throw you over my shoulder, carry you upstairs to your apartment, rip that goddamn corset off of you, and proceed to show you exactly how dangerous it can be to tease someone like me in the ways you've been mercilessly teasing me for weeks," Booth muttered. "Don't think I haven't noticed, by the way. All those little sly double entendres... both verbal and physical. I've seen 'em all, Bones, and I've been going crazy trying to figure out what in the hell you've been up to. So, fair warning, if that's how things are going to go, you know plain and clear how *I'm* going to respond here."

"Is that a promise?" Brennan responded coyly, feeling the relief overwhelm and empower her as she realized that somehow, for some reason, in someway, *she* had managed to push a man like Booth to the edge. From the sound of his latest tirade, he was the closest she had *ever* heard him to sounding... out of control. And, to know that it was because of her... that *she* had done that to Booth, it was mind boggling. *Her*, Temperance Brennan, had managed to arouse Booth and make him sound close as she had ever heard him sound to losing complete and utter control. It was dangerous, she suddenly realized. Yes, he seemed dangerous, and the danger simply served to excite and inflame her even more than she already was as she made the realization, which was quite saying something.

Shaking his head, Booth sighed. "Careful, Bones. I'm trying to be fair here. Keep pushing me, and I mean it, there's no turning back. Not to put too fine a point on it, but if you keep playing with fire like this, you're bound to get burned."

"Maybe I want to get burned," Brennan served back to him. "Maybe this is *exactly* what I've wanted all along. Me. You. Out of control. All of it, Booth... I want *all* of it."

Laughing, Booth bit his lip as he said, "I mean it. If I move about two more inches to the left here, we really are gonna finally see if you were right when you said that if I ever had the chance to look at you in the morning after spending the night together that I wouldn't have any regrets."

At his words, Brennan momentarily felt as if she had a small bucket of ice water thrown over her. His words referenced an earlier conversation that neither one of them had *ever* brought up since the night it had occurred, that rain soaked night full of tequila and unresolved sexual tension. It sobered Brennan a bit as she suddenly took in the full meaning behind Booth's words. Suddenly, this was no longer a mere game, something simple about escalating a sexual cat and mouse competition. No, all of a sudden, something they had both pushed under a proverbial carpet, completely covered, and desperately worked so hard to forget over the past year came roaring back to life between them. And, as Brennan considered the appropriateness of that particular metaphor, she wondered if it had ever really disappeared between them at all. Deciding that, no, it probably hadn't… Brennan also decided that they had merely sublimated the attraction, which perhaps, had only served to bank to smoldering embers. Confronted with it once more, Brennan felt more than thought that, no, things weren't the same as they had been that night. She was a different person, in a different place, and more than ready and willing to meet Booth half-way. And, smiling to herself, Brennan realized she had already made her decision about the matter.

Looking at him, her decision fully comprehended and her choice made, Brennan cocked her head at Booth as she said, "I believe I told you that *that* would never happen."

"I seem to vaguely recall you making such a claim," Booth whispered, bending to kiss her shoulder again.

"Perhaps, it's well past time that we tested the validity of my hypothesis?" Brennan said.

Suddenly, Booth grabbed her waist and spun her around so that she was facing him with her back pressed up against the SUV. Their rates of respiration having increased, Brennan's swift intake of air had the added benefit that it sent her ample bosom, show-cased and on display in the corset, heaving. Booth's already dark eyes fixated on the rhythmic up and down motion of her chest as she breathed in and out. Glancing at her, Brennan's eyes remained riveted on Booth's, every single nerve ending in her entire body suddenly crackling with electricity in a building hum of energy at anticipation of what he *finally* was going to do as this thing between them *finally* appeared to be happening. Looking at her, eyes darkened with lust and want and heavy lidded with his arousal, Booth leaned in to *finally* kiss her… when Brennan and Booth's cell phones both went off simultaneously.

The annoying rings continued to mock them, and Booth scowled the most hateful look Brennan thought she had ever seen grace his normally handsome face.

A single foul expletive left Booth's mouth as he pulled away, and pressed his back to the SUV's door as he stood next to Brennan. Struggling to get control of himself, Booth pounded the door with both fists in rage as he shook his head and looked at her.

"If it were just one, I-I… I would ignore it," Booth confessed.

Sadly, Brennan said, "I know. It's probably not a coincidence that both of them—"

"I—" Booth stopped, letting his voice trail off and bit his lip as he shook his head. He closed his eyes, forced several deep breaths to calm himself, and then looked at Brennan. "We need to go."

"I know," Brennan repeated softly.

Reluctantly moving to get into the SUV, Brennan suddenly found herself stopped as Booth's warm hand shot out, grasped hers, and slowly his fingers intertwined with hers in a reassuring hand clasp.

"Just so you know," Booth said. "We aren't finished here."

A bit of hope blossomed in Brennan's chest as she said, "Is that a promise?"

Nodding, Booth squeezed her hand again as he said, "Definitely."

Smiling, Brennan said, "I'm going to hold you to that then."

"Later," Booth agreed as he reluctantly dropped her hand. Brennan turned to get into the SUV. She stopped when she heard Booth call out to her, "Hey, Bones?"

"Yes, Booth?"

"Will you do me a favor?" Booth said, his voice a bit raw.

"Of course," Brennan said, turning to face him. "What is it?"

Lowering his voice just a bit, Booth said, "Can you please put your suit jacket back on? If at all possible, I'd prefer not to have to show up at a crime scene any more… worked up than I already am, ya know?"

Chuckling a bit, Brennan smiled a knowing smile, and grabbed her jacket. Pulling it on, and buttoning it up so she looked fairly professional and little different from how she dressed on most days, she gestured to herself as she asked, "Better?"

Shaking his head with a grin, Booth replied, "Definitely not better… but I'm more appreciative than you can possibly know, yes."

Climbing into the SUV, Brennan shook head and watched as Booth gingerly came around to the driver's side, a secret, but knowing smile, never leaving her lips as she looked on in amusement.

* * *

><p>Later that day, after an initial consult on an unrelated case had resulted in Brennan returning to the Jeffersonian to confront Cam over the latest developments in the Dylan Crane murder investigation, Booth had gone on his own way. By the time it was late afternoon, Booth realized how long it had been since he had a spare minute to think of the unexpected - but, not that unexpected, not really - and cataclysmic exchange he had shared with Brennan earlier that morning. Smiling as he recalled the events, Booth saw his cell phone buzz with an incoming voicemail message that had gone unanswered during his prior conversation with Kelly Morris' younger brother Alex.<p>

Almost believing that he might have conjured Brennan, Booth's smile turned to a slight frown as he noted the missed call *was* from a Jeffersonian lab employee, but not the squint from whom Booth had been hoping to hear. Sighing, Booth glanced at his watch, and then decided that he might be able to kill two birds with one stone in he headed over to the lab now. Brennan would need a ride home anyway, a ride that Booth definitively intended to offer to her. So, if he headed over now, Booth could see what burr had gotten in Cam's saddle blanket, and perhaps, he might be able to tempt Brennan away to finish their… discussion from earlier in the day.

A little while later, Booth walked into Cam's autopsy suite. Nodding at her, he said, "I got your call."

For her part, Cam frowned at Booth as she greeted him. "It was urgent. Why didn't you answer?"

Shrugging, and a bit annoyed at her proprietary airs, Booth said, "I was busy."

"Oh really?" Cam said.

"Yeah," Booth responded. "What's so important?"

Cam pointed at the autopsy table.

"Kevin Duncan," Booth said simply.

Nodding, Cam said, "Single gunshot wound to the chest. You're just in time for the autopsy."

Booth frowned, but took a step back as Zack walked in and nodded at her. Cam moved to the table, lifted a scalpel and began opening the body.

Smiling, Cam said, "Feeling queasy, Zack?"

Zack frowned as he response, "I'm not used to bodies looking so much like actual human beings."

Setting down the scalpel, Cam reached for a saw and flicked on the switch. As she began to cut the bone, Booth groaned.

Frowning, Booth mentally cheered when Brennan's intern voice his almost exact same thoughts.

"Since this man was just killed and there's plenty of flesh, how is my presence beneficial?" Zack inquired.

By way of an answer, Cam pulled out a bone from the rib cage with a bullet lodged in it and placed it in a tray.

Zack watched in curiosity as he said, "The number six rib."

Nodding, Cam said, "The bullet passed through his vital organs and lodged in the rear curvature. Get it out."

Zack nodded, grabbed the tray containing the bone, and walked away. Cam turned around and nodded at Booth, knowing what she was thinking.

"So, you're thinking the perv kills Romeo and Juliet kills the pervert," Booth said.

Shrugging, Cam replied, "Street smart kid like Kelly Morris would have no trouble getting her hands on a gun."

"Mmmmm," Booth mused, as he considered Cam's point.

Inclining her head as she watched Booth think with a smile on her lips, Cam reached down and pulled off her latex gloves. Once her hands were free, Cam then removed her safety goggles and tossed them on the counter.

Outside the autopsy suite, Brennan's attention had been drawn from the platform when she saw Zack quickly exit with an evidence tray. Annoyed that Cam was once again treating *Brennan's* assistant like her own personal flunky, she resolved to settle the matter once and for all. Snapping her own gloves into the trash, Brennan purposely walked in the direction of Cam's domain, but stopped just outside when she heard voices… not just Cam's… but, Brennan realized with a sudden jolt of recognition, Booth's as well. Frowning, she was a bit hurt when she realized that Booth had arrived at the Jeffersonian at some point, and he had gone to see Cam first without even letting Brennan know that he was on the premises. Despite their earlier conversation, her insecurities over the entire situation, and the role that Cam played in it, reared their metaphorical ugly heads. She didn't mean to eavesdrop, but when Brennan heard her own name, she stopped from entering the suite.

"Booth, if Dr. Brennan were to quit-" Cam began.

His head jerking up in disbelief at her words, Booth exclaimed, "What?"

Insistent, Cam repeated, "If she were to leave the Jeffersonian-"

Chuckling slightly, Booth said, "Well, the squints would flee this institution like the French Army."

Cam waited a beat and lowered her voice as she said, "And, you?"

Booth took a breath to contemplate his answer. At last, he decided to go with the safe response as he said, "Well, I do as I'm ordered."

Shaking her head, Cam said, "No, you don't, Seeley."

Noticing the change in the tone of her voice and the use of his first name, Booth said, "Okay, here we go. What's going on, Camille?"

"What if I fired her? What would you do?" Cam inquired.

"I thought you can't fire her," Booth asked in confusion.

"Hypothetical situation. If I fired her, what would you do?"

Taking a step forward, Booth looked Cam directly in the eyes and said quite confidently, "I'm with Bones, Cam. All the way. Don't doubt it for a second."

"Why?" came the immediate response.

Inclining at Cam, Booth said simply, "Because... she's my partner, Cam. And, more than that... because... well, she's her."

Narrowing her eyes at him, Cam said, "Honestly and truly, Seeley? Is this your way of telling me that something's going on between the two of you?"

"All I'm saying, Camille, is that you shouldn't push me. Don't make me choose, because, if you do that... if you force me to make a choice, you'll lose. To her? Every single time."

Cam was silent for a minute before she said, "When did this happen?"

"I don't know," Booth said honestly. "But, it did. And, I can't even tell you how thankful I am every day I wake up and realize it did. Hell, Camille, I'm not even at the point where I know what it is between her and me, but it's special, and its ours, and I'm grateful for it, so knowing me like you think you do, that should tell you something."

"And, so that's it?" Cam asked dejectedly.

"Yeah," Booth said. "It is."

As soon as she heard the words, Brennan felt a knot in the bottom of her stomach unclench… and a familiar and pleasing warmth spread through her. Smiling, Brennan decided her discussion with Cam about the pathologist's nasty habit purloining her intern could wait. In an unusually sympathetic move, Brennan decided that Booth's words had been enough of a blow at a single time… even for a woman like Dr. Camille Saroyan.

* * *

><p>Despite their best efforts, Booth and Brennan struggled to find another opportunity to continue their discussion as they had both agreed. The Dylan Crane murder had been followed in very short order by the reappearance of Howard Eppes' into their lives. The serial killer and his games left little time or energy for anything else but the case. A week later, however, after Brennan had effectively saved his life by shooting Gil Lappin to death, Booth decided it was time to make time for what was really important.<p>

Booth found her later that night, after they had left Eppes at the prison exactly where he knew she would be – the lab. The only thing that had surprised Booth was the fact that he eventually found her, not in limbo or her office as he had expected, but sitting alone on a couch in the upstairs lounge. Brennan sat hunched over, looking so sad and lonely that it hurt him, a glass in hand. Booth stopped at the top of the stairs, jacket in hand.

Turning her head at the sound of his footsteps, Brennan nodded at him but remained quiet.

Booth inclined his head at her as he asked, "Vodka?"

Brennan lightly laughed at his joke and shook her head. "It's water. But it's –" She stopped, shook the glass, and Booth heard the ice rattling around inside. Brennan then continued "-on the rocks."

Walking towards her, Booth said, "You know, Bones, I'm not sure you grasp the basic theory on how to get drunk. Hey…"

Booth involuntarily groaned as he shifted his jacket to lay over his injured arm. Reaching for a chair with the other hand, pulling it over so that he could sit in front of her, Booth grinned as he said, "What you need to do is order a shot of hard liquor…" Gingerly sitting down in the chair, he continued, "-from a bartender named Shaky." Grinning at her again, he added, "And tell him to, uh, leave the bottle on the bar."

"I'm fine, Booth," Brennan began. He nodded slightly at her. Brennan knew she was being indulged as she clarified, "I'm sitting here thinking about it, and … I'm fine."

Booth raised his eyebrows at her, and Brennan cleared her throat in response.

Smirking at her, Booth said, "Okay. So, what I'm gettin' from you here, Bones, is that you're fine."

Looking away from him, Brennan picked up a photo of one of Eppes' and Lappin's young victims. After a moment she began to speak. "He murdered Sarah. He was about to murder Helen." Brennan stopped, paused for a moment, and the added, "You know, why should I feel upset about shooting him? You know, I mean, if I was going to be upset, which I'm not … it would be because Epps thinks he beat us, so—"

"He didn't," Booth interrupted her.

Inclining her head at him, Brennan said softly, "I know."

Knowingly, Booth said, "You're upset because you think he beat us."

Brennan looked up at him, but remained silent.

"You know what?" Booth asked. He nodded and Brennan looked away. "He did."

Surprise evident on her face, Brennan looked up at him again as she repeated his words, "Beat us?"

Still nodding at her, Booth said, "Yeah."

"Well, you just said that he didn't—"

"Well, I changed my mind," Booth countered.

Shaking her head in disbelief, Brennan asked, "What, in the last three seconds?"

Remaining serious, Booth said quietly, "You know, you're afraid that Epps turned you into him – into a killer? You have to come to grips with the fact that you killed another human being…." Looking away from her, Booth finally continued. "Because when you kill someone, you know, there's a cost."

Brennan felt her heart skip a beat as Booth met her eyes again.

"It's a steep cost. I know. I've done it."

Nodding to herself, Brennan said, "I did the right thing. I know I did."

Quietly, Booth reaffirmed her statement. "I know."

Unable to help herself, Brennan suddenly felt tears prick at the corner of her eyes. She looks away, but Booth moved his hand to gently turn her face to meet his gaze.

"I was there, Bones. I know," Booth repeated. He smiled gently at her, and she smiled herself in return.

Looking down at the photo of Sarah Koskoff again, Brennan sniffled slightly when she realized a tear had fallen on the photo.

"Oh. Look what I did," Brennan said sadly.

"It doesn't matter, Bones."

Nodding her head emphatically, Brennan said, "It does. It matters, Booth. It does."

Slowly, Booth nodded back at her. She held his gaze for a moment, before he suddenly smiled, shattering the seriousness of the exchange. Reaching into his pocket, Booth grinned at her.

"I got something for ya"

Chuckling, Brennan replied, "A bottle of hard liquor?"

Laughing, Booth said with a smile, "The next best thing." He held out his hand, palm up, and Brennan could see a small, plastic toy piglet. Extending his hand to her, he held it close to her face as he leaned in towards her. "Hmm?"

Brennan eyed his, a random mixture of emotions coming over her. Suddenly, she knew they were no longer talking about Lappin's death or Eppes or anything but *them*.

Booth chuckled as he leaned in closer to her and said, "Bones, meet … Jasper."

Looking at the pig, Brennan's face softened, and her eyes meet Booth's as he continued to grin at her. Unable to help herself, Brennan laughed and reached out, taking the pig.

"You're gonna be okay, Bones," he told her.

Raising her eyes to his, Brennan said, "Yeah?"

Moving his hand up to her face, Booth brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Definitely."

Leaning her cheek against his hand, Brennan closed her eyes as she felt the warmth escape from his fingers. Relaxing into it, she took comfort from it, and only reluctantly opened her eyes when she felt his hand begin to caress her cheek.

"I'm sorry," Booth breathed.

"Why?"

"Because," he said. "I… I've been thinking about how I was gonna do this for days, and I'm afraid all the brilliant plans I had aren't gonna work."

"Brilliant plans for what?" Brennan questioned, a note of uncertainty coming into her voice.

"Brilliant plans for how I was going to kiss you," Booth said. "I had come up with several really clever scenarios where I was finally going to seduce you, ya know?"

"Oh?" Brennan asked, leaning in to him.

Nodding, Booth said, "Yup."

"And, now?"

"And, now, like I said, none of them are gonna work, because I'm going to kiss you, Bone," Booth said. "Right now."

"Really?" Brennan replied.

Pressing forward, Booth reached for her lips, and barely had time to respond, "Yeah."

However, then her lips were on his, and his lips were on hers. The kiss began softly, tentatively at first. Booth wanted to be gentle, not to put more pressure on Brennan than she could handle – especially given the stressful and traumatic events of the past few days. However, he quickly abandoned all plans for gallantry when he felt her tongue go from lightly licking his bottom lip to a type of begging, almost pleading for entrance. And, when Booth's mouth opened, and he wrapped his good arm tightly around her shoulder, he knew it had finally been worth it… and, in the morning, he knew they both could never, ever have *any* regrets.

* * *

><p>-TBC-<p> 


	6. Ch 5: Saroyan vs Brennan

Competing with Cam

By: Lesera128

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing... Obviously. Just playing in someone else's sandbox for a bit.

Summary: An email from Zack brings Brennan home early just as Cam is about to be hired by the Jeffersonian. A competition for the boss's job and Booth ensues. AU.

* * *

><p>Chapter 5 – Saroyan vs. Brennan<p>

* * *

><p>Had anyone present in the apartment been of a mind to glance at any number of the clocks that Booth kept scattered around his home, they would've noticed that the time currently read a little past 1:30pm. And, as it was getting to the point that even a late lunch wasn't going to be explainable at the current time, the inhabitants in Booth's apartment would've known they were going to be late... again. However, the two occupants in the apartment didn't notice such trivialities at that point in time. No, they had much more important things on their minds, or at least, much more pleasurable things that demanded their complete and total attention than noticing they were going to be late in returning to work.<p>

At some point, Brennan felt the world start to swim out of focus, but she remained grounded, concentrating on the intense gaze of Booth's eyes as he held her eyes while they moved together. Once, twice, three more times, and he tightened his hands in a firm grasp from where his fingers were intertwined with hers and each pair of their arms rested on either side of their bodies. Brennan moaned somewhat loudly in pleasure, and Booth cried out her name instinctively. Afterwards, both of the bed's occupants glowing with the satisfaction that can only be achieved in a haze of post-coital bliss, reluctantly, Booth unclasped one of their hands so that he could move off to the side, lest he crush her beneath him. Their other pair of hands remained interlinked as Brennan stared at the ceiling, gasping for air, her breathing ragged and unsteady. Booth wasn't in much better shape as his brain used what little power it had left to concentrate on maintaining his tight grip of her hand and simultaneously forcing air to enter his lungs.

Finally, after several minutes, Booth turned his head to look to the right and saw Brennan was staring back at him, a very satisfied and lopsided grin on her face.

"Wow!" Booth said. "I, ah… God, that was—" He again gulped a large breath of air before he tried again to complete a coherent thought. "Yeah, that was—"

"Amazing?" Brennan offered, a bit shyly.

Booth nodded, and pulling her towards him smiled as she rolled on top of him. He reached down to kiss her, and when her head was resting in the crook of his shoulder, he breathed, "Yeah. Amazing. And, a huge mistake."

"Mmmm," Brennan murmured. "Huge," she agreed.

"Yup," Booth repeated. "Huge."

Swallowing a yawn, Brennan closed her eyes as she rubbed her cheek against his skin.

"Don't even think about it, Bones," Booth said, a bit of warning coming into his voice.

"I'm not-"

"Yes, you are," Booth said. "I know that look."

"What look?" she said, sleepily.

"That look that you get when you're sexually sated and tired and just want to go to sleep," Booth said knowingly.

"I'm not going to sleep," Brennan said. "I'm just... resting my eyes."

"Nope," Booth said, giving her a playful shake. "Wakey, wakey, Bones. I fell for that last time, and I'm not going to do it again."

"But, I'm sleepy, Booth," Brennan whined just a bit.

Laughing, Booth said, "Ya know, Bones, if there's one thing I never would have guessed about you, it's that you were the type to fall asleep after sex."

Quirking an eye open at him, Brennan scowled. "I'm not. It's just been a very... *busy* couple of weeks... and not a lot of time to sleep. For some reason, I seem to be doing less and less sleeping every time I find myself in a bed," Brennan said.

"Is that a complaint?" Booth laughed.

"No. Just a factual observation to explain why I'm sleepy."

"Can't keep up with me, ehh, Bones?" Booth said. "You're stamina not what it once was?"

"No," Brennan countered. "I just... want to take a little rest."

"No way, Bones," Booth repeated. "The last time you told me that, we both fell asleep and had to account for four hours. The SUV can only have so much engine trouble, you know… before it gets people really suspicious," Booth said.

"Yes, well, you were the one who forgot to set the alarm. We were only going to take a short nap for half an hour… not two and a half, as I recall," Brennan said.

"Sue me. Like you said, it's been a rough week. We needed the sleep," Booth said. "Still do, probably."

"Then, why are we arguing again?" Brennan said drowsily.

"Because," Booth said. "Until we can get on some type of even keel about… *this*… it's not a good thing to keep sneaking around during the middle of the day like a couple of horny teenagers who've just discovered sex."

A wry smile coming onto her lips, both of Brennan's eyes popped up mischievously. "Considering the fact that we've only been sexual partners for less than ten days, Booth, in a way, you description of us having just discovered sex is quite accurate. Besides," she said, pressing her naked chest against his in a way that she knew drove him crazy. "You were the one who said no more fooling around at work. That only leaves your place… or mine, regardless of scheduling limitations."

Shaking his head, Booth leaned down and kissed Brennan. She had just started to deepen the kiss when he pulled back and sighed softly, "You're gonna be the death of me, you know that, Bones?"

"I should hope not," Brennan said. "If you were deceased, it would make certain activities that I find sharing with you extremely pleasurable to be very, very difficult to participate in with you, Booth."

"Even still," Booth laughed. "These lunch time sex breaks?"

"You think it's a mistake?"

Nodding, Booth said, "Huge."

Rolling off of him, knowing that she was beat, Brennan reluctantly got out of bed. Reaching down for the first item of her clothing that she had spotted from where it had been hastily discarded on the floor, Brennan began to pull her emerald green bra on. Her actions immediately caught Booth's attention. Getting out of bed himself, Booth walked over and came up behind her, placing both his warm hands in the middle back to keep her from clasping the bra closed.

"That is such a sad, sad sight to see," Booth murmured. "Really."

He leaned down and began to trail a series of light kisses across her shoulder blade. Brennan leaned into him and closed her eyes, a soft sigh of contentment escaping from her lips.

Finally, she asked, "Why do we keep doing this?"

Lifting his head, Booth said, "Well, you know, we don't. I mean, what's it been? Twice in the past week?"

"Three times," Brennan corrected him. "Four, if you count that stakeout in the Sequoia."

Chuckling, Booth stepped away from her and bent down to retrieve his boxers. "Okay, you know what? That wasn't sex."

"Oh, really? Maybe not for you, but if I have an orgasm, I count that as sex," Brennan said. "But, maybe you're right… and, this is it."

Nodding, Booth said, "You know what? I *am* right… and I'm glad you think I'm right. But, I mean… it's not like we're doing anything wrong. I mean, you and I…."

"Are partners," Brennan offered lamely. "And, our extracurricular activities aside, we still do good work, right?"

"Right," Booth agreed.

"But, um… this isn't helping," Brennan said.

Looking at her sadly, a hang-dog puppy look on his face, Booth said, "And, so, that's why… this is… over?"

Brennan nodded, "Done. You *are* right. We can't keep doing this, Booth. Not when we're supposed to be working. I'm running out of legitimate excuses to leave the lab. Besides the fact that you already ran that gorgeously big mouth of yours to Cam, and so now she knows that *something* is going on, the rest of them are starting to suspect."

"You haven't told Angela, yet?" Booth asked, incredulously.

"Well, no," Brennan said, smiling bashfully. "I mean, she knows I've been working on it, but she's sort of been preoccupied with Hodgins, and I haven't been in the lab as much, so, no. She doesn't know everything… yet."

Suddenly, a cell phone began to ring. Booth glanced at where it sat on the far nightstand, on the opposite side of the bed.

"That's mine," Booth said.

"Yeah," Brennan agreed.

Rolling on the bed, Booth grabbed for the cell, but his momentum carried him off the edge of the bed. He landed with a loud *oomph* that was followed by a muffled curse. Brennan bit back a bark of laughter as she only saw Booth's hand shoot up and reach the phone. "Booth. Yeah. Address?"

His head popped up, and Brennan watched him scribble an address on a piece of paper from his notebook. Reaching down for her discarded skirt, Brennan had stepped into it and almost finished zipping it up, when Booth finished the call and suddenly bounced back onto the bed and over to her. He tossed his cell phone on the nightstand that stood closer to the pair, and neither noticed when it skidded to a halt so that it now sat right next to Brennan's.

"Hey, you know, I, uh, I can help you with that," Booth offered.

Shaking her head, Brennan said, "No way. Last time you did that, I ended up with my navy blue suit skirt with a torn zipper that I still haven't had time to drop off to get it repaired. You can deny it all you want, Booth, but you are a terrorist when it comes to zippers on my clothing."

Smiling evilly, Booth said, "Guess I'm guilty as charged on that one." He stopped for a minute and then said shyly, "So, ummmm, are you going to ride in with me? We could leave your car here," Booth said.

"Another crime scene?" Brennan asked.

Booth nodded. "I'd have to run by the lab to pick you up anyway."

"Oh, no, no, no. If we leave my car here, I'll have to come back after the crime scene consult instead of going straight back to the lab..."

"Yeah, well that's sorta the point, Bones," Booth said.

"Oh," Brennan said, considering his logic. "Well, then, yeah, sure."

Grinning at her, Booth gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before he brushed past her and swept into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Suddenly, another cell phone ring pierced the air. Brennan, distracted, reached out and swiped the phone from her side of the bed off, and lifted it to her ear.

"Brennan."

The line was silent for a moment before Camille Saroyan's voice came over the life.

"Oh, hi, Dr. Brennan. It's Cam. Is Agent Booth… available?" finally came the response.

Brennan scowled for a moment, about to ask why Cam was calling her phone to ask for Booth and, more importantly, how Cam knew that she was currently with Booth, when she suddenly glanced down and bit back a foul curse as she realized she hadn't grabbed her phone but Booth's.

"Uh, available? Yeah, Dr. Saroyan, I-" Brennan's voice trailed off.

At that moment, the bathroom door opened, and Booth stepped out, still wearing no shirt. Brennan, half tempted to leer at him in appreciation and annoyed at Cam's interruption, looked at her curiously. Brennan said nothing but handed him the phone and pointed. Mouthing the words 'Cam', Booth took her meaning and lifted the phone to his ear.

"Yeah, Cam. What's up?" Booth asked.

"Um, nothing, just seeing if you got the call, and if you were going to swing by to pick up Dr. Brennan or if we needed to wait for her before we left for the crime scene?" Cam said, the uncomfortable tone clear in her voice.

Booth had reached down for a shirt and then said, "Oh yeah. Um, Bones is with me. I'll give her a ride. We're just gonna have to meet you there, okay?"

"Okay," Cam said. "Bye."

Hastily shutting the phone, Booth lifted it and said, "You don't, uh, think she thought—"

"What?" Brennan said. "What could she think? It's perfectly normal for us to- to be together. We're partners."

Smiling, Booth said, "Right, uh, and it's not like this is ever gonna happen again."

"During regular business hours?" Brennan said, taking a step towards him. "No, definitely not." They were just about to kiss again when Brennan said, "No. Exactly. So… are you done with the bathroom?"

Booth sighed as Brennan pulled back, and he knew that any chance he had of coaxing her even into a quickie was gone and had disappeared as soon as Cam's voice had shattered her playful mood. Nodding, he said, "Yeah."

Moving towards the bathroom, Brennan said, "Okay, thanks. Just give me five minutes, and we can go."

The door shutting behind her, Booth bit his lip as he looked at his phone again, tossed it in the air once, and then quickly pocketed it.

* * *

><p>A little while later, Booth watched from several feet away as Brennan began her preliminary examination of the remains that had been found at the construction site. Cam came up to him and smiled.<p>

"Sorry if I interrupted anything earlier, Seeley," Cam said.

Booth's eyes darted from where Brennan stood to Cam's and he said hastily, "What? Oh! No. No, you didn't."

Nodding, Cam replied, "Good."

A bit of guilt washing over him, Booth said, "Okay. But, if you must know, you know, Bones and I… we were… running late from lunch. There was a rush at the diner, and we just lost track of time."

"Okay," Cam said.

"She just so happened to pick up the phone because I was talking to the waitress. That's it. You know? Nothing more, nothing less," Booth explained.

Cam knew Seeley was overcompensating for something. Crossing her arms, she arched her eyebrow at him as she said, "I'm sorry. Did I say I must know?"

Booth scowled at her, but when Brennan motioned them both over, the two began to walk towards the unfinished bathroom of a condominium under construction. Brennan was leaning over a bathtub filled with… gallons of disgusting crud. Booth winced as he covered his mouth, and reached for a mask Cam already extended to him. Gagging a bit as he looked at a deteriorated corpse floating in a chemical combination of household cleaning products, Booth shook his head.

"Ooh, very nice," he groaned.

Looking at Cam, she said, "Age and sex undetermined."

One of the lab technicians came up to Brennan and pulled her a couple of steps away, leaving Booth and Cam once more, for all intensive purposes, alone.

"So, I hear you and Brennan are together now?" Cam ventured.

Surprised at her directness clearly evident on his face, Booth said, "I'm sorry?"

Nodding at her, Cam said, "Brennan, right?"

Booth scowled again, but Cam waved him off.

"Oh, relax, Seeley."

"Did Angela say something to you because Bones said she told me Angela doesn't know nearly as much as she thinks she does," Booth replied.

Cam was silent for a minute, biting her lip.

"She did, didn't she?" Booth asked.

"Well, it's not like you two have exactly been subtle, Booth. You two have wracked up more MIA moments in the past two weeks than a freshman in high school has during his first month of classes," Cam said.

"Har har, Camille. Very funny," Booth said.

"We all have our weak moments," Cam said. "I mean, flings? That's what they're all about, aren't they? Fun and weak moments?"

"No. Mmmmm hmmm. We don't, okay?" Booth retorted. "I don't."

Chuckling, Cam said, "Please, Seeley. Like we haven't shared enough of them for me to know better."

Shaking his head, Booth moved away and walked over to where Brennan stood. Cam watched with interest, wandering just what was going on between the partners and how serious it actually might be.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Brennan sat on her couch, holding a take out carton of Thai food. Moving her chopsticks to free some of the vegetarian pad bame from the container, she looked at Booth and frowned.<p>

"What?" he asked. "I was not gossiping."

"Oh, really? So then what would you call it?" Brennan asked.

"Merely sharing a point of interest," Booth said. "It's not like Cam didn't know anyway."

"Great," Brennan said. "So, that's what we are now? Our relationship is the world's largest ball of string for my co-worker?"

"Not us," Booth amended. "But, our behavior. Yeah. We weren't discrete enough, Bones—"

"I fail to see why discretion is required here. It's not like I'm not doing my job like I've always done. From a professional standpoint, our extracurricular activities are none of her business since it's not like *she's* an FBI employee duty-bound to report something that shouldn't really even concern them anyway..."

"Ahh, yeah, Bones... but, about that part... they *do* sign my paycheck, so it's probably a good idea to at least pay lip service to the whole non-fraternization policy," Booth said gently.

"It's a stupid policy," Brennan said. "And, I'll take care of that at some point in there very near future-"

Booth looked at her, an exasperated, but indulgent smile threatening his face. "So, what are you gonna do with that one, Bones? Barge into Cullen's office and logically explain why you deserve an exemption from a standard Bureau procedure just because you're special?"

"Yes," Brennan said. "That's *exactly* what I had in mind. How did you know that?"

"Wild and crazy guess," he laughed, this time unable to refrain from smiling.

Ignoring him, Brennan continued, "And, anyway, from a personal standpoint, what's between us is also none of Cam's concern." Scowling Brennan said in frustration, "You know what? This is a textbook example of just how helpless we higher primates can be to our biological urges. I really, really hate feeling jealous of a woman like Camille Saroyan."

His curiosity piqued, Booth asked, "You're jealous of Cam?"

"Yes," Brennan said.

"Why?"

"Because," Brennan said. "I don't understand how someone like you could be attracted to a woman like me, but at some point in your past, you slept with her, too."

His eyes narrowing, Booth said tentatively, "Oh, I really don't recall saying that I had."

"You didn't have to," Brennan said. "Setting aside the fact that Cam all but admitted your past history with her to me, I've know for some time that you've had a prior sexual relationship with her." Turning away from him, Brennan scoffed, "And, if this conversation had happened three weeks ago, I might have thought that you were still interested in pursuing a renewal of that relationship with her given her flagrant attempts to seduce you."

Hearing the insecurity lurking beneath her jealous tone, Booth smiled. Leaning in to her, he placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "Why would I possibly want to be with Cam, Bones? Like I said when this whole thing started with us, *you're* the only one who's had my complete and undivided attention."

"You mean it?" Brennan asked softly.

Nodding, Booth said, "Think of it this way. When you picked up my phone today, what do you think Cam heard in your voice?"

At this thought, Brennan smiled as she said, "Hopefully, she could hear that I was quite well satisfied from a recent sexual encounter. Given the fact that you spoke to her in much the same manner directly after I conversed with her, I hope she could hear it in both of our voices, the only better thing perhaps being if she might as well as walked in on us having sex."

Laughing, Booth said, "I never took you for the exhibitionist type, Bones. But, even still… she probably did know exactly what was going on…. Cam's smart like that, and I doubt she missed a beat. So, doesn't it make you feel better to know that she knows you have something she never will... even if it's a bit more information than I'd really like for her to have about our private lives?"

"Why?" Brennan asked. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Booth. Humans act upon a hierarchy of needs, and sex is very highly ranked. It's an anthropological inevitability."

"Ahh, so that's what I am to you? Then, thank you, Bones. I really appreciate you boiling me down to your anthropological inevitabilities," Booth teased lightly.

Smiling at him, Brennan said, "Sure."

"Anytime," Booth said. He was quiet for a minute and then said, "You know, I never… it was never serious with her, Bones."

"Who?"

"Cam."

"Oh," Brennan said, biting back some of the bitterness that washed over her when he said her name. Quiet for a moment, Brennan said, "Booth?"

"Yeah, Bones"

"Do you still love her?" she asked softly.

"Cam?" Booth said, a bit surprised at her question. "No, not…like I did. Not like that."

"You're sure?" Brennan asked, again more timid than Booth had usually recalled ever seeing her.

"Yeah, I'm sure I'm sure. Positive, even," Booth said. "Cam and I… it didn't work like that, Bones. I cared about her… a lot, when we were together. But, it was never… enough when I was with her."

"Why?" Brennan asked. "And... if you need to tell me that it's not enough with me, either, in the process of explaining the answer to my question... well... t-that's okay, Booth."

Removing the carton of take out from her hand, Booth placed the one he was holding down of the coffee table. He finished chewing his mouthful of fried rice and swallowed before he said, "You want me to be honest with you, Bones? Even if what I'm going to say might scare you?"

Slowly, Brennan nodded her head.

"I don't know why, specifically, it was never enough with Cam. And, honestly, I don't know why, specifically, we're different, even though this thing between us is still so… new? But, it's just like I thought it would be that night in the rain out in front of the pool hall. I think this thing is going somewhere, and… I can't explain how or why I feel that way, but with you… I feel, I *know* it's enough… it's *more* than enough," Booth said tenderly.

"So, this—us? It isn't just sex?" Brennan asked softly.

Shaking his head, Booth replied, "There's nothing 'just' about sex, Bones. And, I think you know that, too."

"But, all mammals need it. That release of serotonin. The rush of endorphins. Naturally, you seek it with someone with whom you share a sexual rapport," Brennan said.

"Rapport, right," Booth chuckled. "That's the word."

"So," Brennan said. "You're saying that our… the change in the nature of our relationship over the past couple of weeks, it's not just been because either of us were in need of release and knew we could call each other to obtain it?"

"Now, you're just being squinty-dense on purpose, aren't you?" Booth said.

A small smile cracked her straight face, giving her away. "Maybe," she said.

"You're *so* going to pay for that one," Booth said, leaning over to her and pulling him to her in another kiss that, this time, definitely resulted in the remainder of the Thai take out being temporarily forgotten.

* * *

><p>The next day Brennan actually managed to make it into the lab a good half hour before the majority of the rest of the squint squad. The lab was relatively empty but for Brennan… and Dr. Camille Saroyan.<p>

Brennan was in her office, going through several emails, when she heard a loud knock on the door's frame.

Looking up, Brennan forced herself to keep from frowning when she saw it was Cam. Inclining her head politely, Brennan said, "Good morning, Dr. Saroyan."

"Good morning, Dr. Brennan," Cam said. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I was wondering if I might speak to you for a moment."

"About something a work-related matter or something of a personal nature?" Brennan inquired directly.

Inclining her head, Cam said, "And, if I were to say it was a private issue?"

"I would be disinclined to agree to your request then, Dr. Saroyan," Brennan responded.

Taking a step forward, Cam shut the door behind her and said, "Look. I… I've been meaning to talk to you for a while now. I… I had a chance to talk with Booth."

"I know," Brennan interrupted her. "He told me."

"He told you already?" Cam said, surprised.

"Yes," Brennan reaffirmed. "Why? Does that surprise you?"

Cam considered her question for a minute and then shook her head. "No, not really. Knowing Seeley like I do, no, it's not surprising to me."

"What do you want, Dr. Saroyan?"

"You're aware that there is only three weeks left in our probationary period?" Cam inquired.

"Yes, I'm well aware of that fact. Why?"

"I just," Cam said. Shaking her head, she said, "Look. I know that you've been dealing with a lot of… *significant* changes in your personal life, and I know that can be distracting."

"I'm not distracted in anyway, personally or professionally, Dr. Saroyan. I can assure you," Brennan said.

"The last time we talked," Cam replied. "Do you remember that I may have made reference to the fact that FBI policy strictly forbids personal relationships developing between agents and subcontracted consultants?"

Brennan felt a shot of anger...and, if she were to be honest, fear blossom in her at Cam's words. "As I have an *excellent* memory, I do remember the reference that you made, yes, Dr. Saroyan."

"Well, I just thought it would only be fair to remind you of that fact given the point that the change in your relationship with Booth hasn't been exactly… well, it really isn't a secret, Dr. Brennan. Half the lab knows, half the Hoover does, and the people who don't know really only haven't found out because they're on vacation," Cam said.

"Meaning?" Brennan said.

"Meaning, that if you were to take over as the lab's primary administrator, you wouldn't be in a position where your personal relationship with Booth would be a conflict of interest. But, in all fairness, if you're handling the boss' job, it would probably be unrealistic to think that you would be able to continue your partnership with Booth and a relationship with him. Something's going to have to give, Dr. Brennan," Cam began.

Cutting her off, Brennan shook her head and said, "I was under the impression that, if nothing else, you considered Booth to be a good friend, Dr. Saroyan."

"I do," Cam said. "I care for Seeley more than you'll ever probably realize."

"Then, why are you trying to make *his* life more difficult by default by causing trouble in *my* life? If being with me makes him happy, even if you don't like it, don't understand it, can't you let that be enough since he's your friend?" Brennan said.

Cam considered her words. Nodding she said, "Believe it or not, I do care about, Booth. And, I'm honestly not trying to make trouble. I'm just… being fair. I want to win this job fair and square, not by default. Just like with Booth. That's the only reason I came in here… in case you've missed things because you've been… preoccupied with Booth. Lord knows I was when we were together. He… has that effect on the woman he's with," Cam said honestly.

Brennan, trying to discern if there was any hidden malice or intentional hurt in Cam's words, eventually decided she couldn't perceive any. Nodding, Brennan said, "If you truly aren't doing this to incite discord, than I appreciate your sentiments. However, they're not necessary. I'm well aware of how things are progressing in both my personal and professional lives… and what choices each may eventually necessitate."

Her hands coming up in supplication, Cam said, "Fair enough then. I said my piece."

Nodding, turned Cam to go. Brennan said nothing, but watched with interest as Cam stopped at the door. Not turning around, she said softly, "And, believe it or not, Dr. Brennan… even if I don't accept it or understand it, if you really are making Seeley happy… that's all I've ever wanted for him. He's a good man and deserves some happiness…. even if it's not with me."

Brennan opened her mouth to say something, but Cam disappeared out the door before she could get a single word out in response.

* * *

><p>-TBC-<p> 


	7. Ch 6: Cam vs Bones

Competing with Cam

By: Lesera128

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing... Obviously. Just playing in someone else's sandbox for a bit.

Summary: An email from Zack brings Brennan home early just as Cam is about to be hired by the Jeffersonian. A competition for the boss's job and Booth ensues. AU.

* * *

><p>Chapter 6 – Cam vs. Bones<p>

* * *

><p>"All right, grasshopper, now spill," Angela said, pulling her legs up under her, as she sat in the couch in Brennan's office.<p>

Staring at her in confusion, Brennan said, "Spill what? I don't want to make a mess in the office. And, I'm not a Caelifera, Ange, so why would you call me that?"

Shaking her head, Angela sighed. "Just tell me how it's been going, Bren. You know… Operation: Bag-A-Booth? What's the status?"

Biting her lip a bit, Brennan looked down to by her a few seconds to compose her face, keeping it serious and unchanged. However, the burst of excitement and pleasure that she felt as soon as she heard Angela's words told Brennan that she knew she wouldn't be able to manage such a feat. So, Brennan decided any such exercise was futile, a waste of time and energy, thus, she simply abandoned the idea of trying to keep up any pretense. Lifting her head to meet Angela's intense and inquiring gaze, Brennan knew that her face was radiantly ablaze with satisfaction and pride. Angela took one look at Brennan's nonverbal response and quickly became excited as a smile of her own immediately broke out.

"I knew it!" Angela said. "You made a move on him, and it worked, didn't it?"

"In a manner of speaking," Brennan confirmed. "Yes."

"When?" Angela said. "As your yogi guru, I insist that I both required to know and deserve those details, Brennan."

Brennan blushed at her comments, but countered, "How explicit?"

"Well, let's start with the basics and work our way up from there," Angela said. "What's happened between you two?"

"He kissed me," Brennan said.

"When?"

"After… after the Eppes' case," Brennan said shyly.

"Is that it?" Angela asked, suddenly a little disappointed.

This time, if Brennan hadn't been blushing before, she was now turning positively red. Shaking her head emphatically, Brennan grinned. "No."

"Brennan," Angela said, leveling her gaze at her best friend.

"Yes, Ange?"

"Have you been holding out on me?"

Brennan lifted her eyes to meet Angela's, and the look caused in Brennan's eyes caused Angela to gasp in surprise.

"You have, haven't you?"

"Well," Brennan began slyly. "You have been somewhat preoccupied with your own social affairs, as Hodgins attempts to pursue you, Ange. I didn't want to distract you."

"Oh, honey, this is something I *want* to be distracted for… so tell me…can we declare a winner between you and Cam over the issue of whose bed Booth will be frequenting for the foreseeable future?" Angela asked.

"Most definitely," Brennan said. "I think it's very accurate to say that, not only has Cam lost in that competition, and I won… but she lost *badly*. Furthermore, she knows it."

Clapping, Angela smiled. "Excellent. Wonderful. I *love* it… and I'm so proud of you, Bren!"

"Proud enough to help me one more time?" Brennan inquired, as she glanced at the clock and realized that the work day was almost officially over.

"Of course," Angela said. "Just tell me what you need."

Standing up, Brennan moved to grab her keys, purse, and somewhat oddly, Angela noticed, what looked like a box of donuts from the upstairs lounge. Nodding at Angela, Brennan said, "I think Booth is still upstairs in the lounge raiding the coffee bar. In about fifteen or twenty minutes - but, *not8 before - can you go up there and… rile him up enough so that he'll come looking for me?"

Angela's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Will I get details of the consequences of any of my said actions that insight Booth?"

"To some extent, yes, if you wish," Brennan nodded, a wicked gleam coming into her eye. "Provided of, course, you're successful in your task."

Standing up, Angela gave Brennan a knowing look as she said, "Oh, sweetie, if I can't rile up a man like Booth, then I'm definitely losing my touch… and we've got bigger problems than Cam try to move in on your man. Leave it to me. I know just what to do."

* * *

><p>Cam sat on the edge of one of the Medico-Legal Lab's lounge couches, sipping from her cup as she watched Booth making his own concoction at the coffee bar.<p>

"Remind me again why you're always here pilfering our java?" Cam asked. "Don't they have coffee at the Hoover Building?"

"Well, yeah," Booth said, setting down his cup as he dumped more sugar into his mug. "But, not quality stuff like this. You guys get Starbucks. Ours is more like the dregs of the local gas station kind. So, if you were me, wouldn't you get your coffee here instead of there?"

"Point taken," Cam conceded.

"Plus," Booth said, with his eyes wide in glee as he looked at the assorted baked goods selection that lay spread out in front of him under protective plastic covers, "You guys always have pastries. Not just stale donuts, mind you, but *real* pastries, Camille. So, yeah, I'm gonna pilfer the good stuff since the concessions here are *much* superior to the crap at my office that will only poison you on a good day."

Removing one of the plastic covers and selecting a cherry Danish, Booth grabbed one with a napkin before returning to the couch with his coffee and stolen treat in hand. He began to eat it as Cam looked at him curiously.

"So, you never said how it ended up with Brennan," Cam eventually said, trying to maintain a casual tone to her voice.

"Well, yeah, I didn't, Cam. And, I don't really plan to," Booth responded.

"So, there's nothing to tell then?"

"I didn't say that," Booth said through a mouthful of Danish. "Just… as far as you and the rest of the squint squad is concerned, the only time Bones and I will ever spend together is when we have a case. What we do off the clock, if anything, is no one's business but ours, okay?"

"You sure that's what you want?" Cam asked.

Booth set his coffee mug down and said, "You know what, Cam? It might be all squint science crap to you, and anthropology like it was to Bones, but we all know that there are certain people that you just can't sleep with, but if you do, you can't pretend that it's just sex. Once something like that happens, once it changes, that's it. New ballgame. You can try to lie to yourself, and you can say that it's all good. But, um, there's just... there's too many strings and...and too much at stake, you know? There's too much to lose to try to keep up the pretense for very long."

Nodding, Cam sipped her own coffee before she said, "Yeah. After what happened with us, I guess I can see that."

Popping the last bite of the cherry Danish in his mouth, Booth stood up and said, "So, this discussion, about Bones and me? It's over, you know? I'd appreciate, you know, your support in that."

"Absolutely, Seeley," Cam said. "I will. And, if you should slip, I will…keep my mouth shut about it."

"Thank you," Booth said. "But, I mean, it's not like I'm gonna make the mistake of mixing my personal and my professional lives again after this, so you shouldn't be in any position where there could be any confusion-"

Raising her hand in supplication, Cam said, "No, I mean with anybody, Booth." They held each other's eyes for a second, before Cam said softly, "Look, whatever's going on with Brennan? I'm a girl who can take a hint and knows when she's been beat. I hope it works out for both of you and that you're happy." She stopped and then said, "I just want you to know that if for some reason it doesn't… I'm sure Brennan's not your only option for satisfying your biological urges."

Booth was about to open his mouth to say something in response when loud footsteps coming up the stairs silenced him. Angela and Hodgins were chatting animatedly and smiled when they saw the pair, Cam still sitting on the couch, and Booth standing in front of her.

"Booth, please tell me you have an update on Lawrence Seaver's three women? I know we've all be distracted with the whole serial murderer thing, but that case just really bugs the crap out of me. Please tell me these women are not going to jail," Angela asked, going to the coffee bar and helping herself to a pastry.

"I've been trying to tell her," Hodgins said, walking up behind her as he reached for a coffee mug. "After trying to bilk the insurance system, they'll get nothing less than a firing squad."

"Not if they never filed a claim," Angela pointed out. "Technically, they didn't commit insurance fraud if they never filed a claim."

"Only because our friends, here, caught them," Hodgins countered.

Looking at them, Booth shrugged as he said, "Well you're both kinda right. Given their kids and the circumstances, the D.A. is gonna offer probation, provided that all three women show remorse and attend mandatory counseling."

Laughing, Hodgins said, "In exchange for movie rights, I hope." He then turned to Angela and added, "You know they're gonna get calls."

"I hope so," Angela said, as she watched Hodgins get a cup of black coffee, wave goodbye to the trio, and disappear back the way he had come. Looking at Booth, Angela smiled, ignoring Cam as she said, "Hey, nice going by the way. Brennan tells me you're… off the market, *finally*?"

"Brennan?" Booth muttered, his mounting frustration evidently clear, especially considering what he had just been trying to do to avoid giving too much information away about the change in the status of his relationship with Brennan in front of Cam.

Angela nodded. "Mmmmmm."

"Brennan in her office?" Booth asked, moving quickly towards the stairs, and not stopping to wait for an answer as he stalked past Angela.

Looking up at Cam, Angela finally grinned and told the pathologist, "I said something wrong?"

Cam laughed. "Oooohhhh, would it be gossip if I told you?"

Grabbing her coffee mug, and noticing the clear lack of adversarial and bitchiness to Cam's response for the first time ever, Angela decided a reassessment of the woman might be in order. Angela was never one to hold a grudge if Cam had acknowledged her earlier mistakes in trying to upstage Brennan... and, particularly, if the pathologist had conceded to Brennan in the matter of pursuing Booth, as the forensic anthropologist had thought.

Taking a seat next to Cam, and nodding at her with a knowing smile, Angela said, "I hope so. Now spill. What did he tell you?"

* * *

><p>About an hour later, Booth, who had not had any luck in tracking down Brennan in her office, made his way to her apartment. He had barely knocked on the door, fully expecting to launch into a furious tirade about discretion and the merits of keeping one's mouth shut about the more intimate aspects of personal relationships as soon as he saw her, when the door swung open, and the thought went straight out Booth's brain.<p>

Brennan stood in the doorway, seductively staring at him. She was wearing a black chiffon robe that revealed more than it covered through its see-through folds. Booth saw the hint of bright blood red satin and lace peaking back at him from the chemise as it clung tightly to the curves of Brennan's body. Her eyes heavy-lidded with desire, Brennan reached out and grabbed his tie.

"It's past 5 o'clock," Brennan purred. "That means we're off the clock… and you're late." Giving a sharp tug to the tie, she pulled Booth into the apartment. Kicking the door shut behind him, Booth propelled himself against Brennan's form, grabbing her in a tight embrace that quickly turned into a simple excuse to start groping her.

"Sorry I'm late," he murmured in between kisses. His hands had gone to the robe's belt that lay loosely tied at her waist, and he gave it a sharp tug, letting the robe fall open. "I didn't know I was keeping you waiting."

"And, here I was thinking you were smart, Booth," Brennan muttered as she arched her neck forward to give him better access. "Jacket off," she ordered.

Pulling away only long enough to shrug out of the jacket, Booth's lips quickly found their way back to hers. His hands roamed inside her robe and came up just under her arms. Booth appreciatively slid them up and down her sides, the smoothness of the satin aiding in his movements.

"I like this one," Booth said.

Through her kisses, Brennan groaned, "I just thought you might."

"Bedroom?" Booth murmured.

Brennan nodded. "Now."

A short time later, Booth's sweaty body collapsed onto a stack of Brennan's pillows. His ragged breathing still struggling to regain some semblance of normality, Booth swallowed several times before he could speak in any measure of coherence.

"Wow. That was, uh…that was—"

Her head suddenly popping out from underneath the sheets where she had crawled up the length of Booth's body, Brennan grinned evilly... she realized she was doing that a lot lately... and she decided she liked it. "Wicked?" she asked.

Lifting his head with a chuckle, Booth asked, "Do you even know what that means?"

"Evil, sinful, bad in principle or practice—"

"What, did you look up the definition?" Booth laughed.

Brennan nodded, a gleam still in her eyes. "So… is it… wicked?

"Yeah," Booth said. "And, definitely not a huge mistake."

"Even if we do it again?" Brennan said. "Because, I find that I'm still quite aroused…"

Rolling her over unexpectedly, Booth grinned evilly himself as he said, "Deal."

"Deal," Brennan shrieked as Booth began to tickle her. "Deal. Starting right now, tonight, I mean."

"Over and over again," Booth murmured.

"Again and again," Brennan confirmed with a kiss.

"Definitely," Booth said as he leaned in a bit more and let his actions confirm the truth of his verbal intentions.

A while after, Brennan sat leaning against Booth's body since he had settled his back against the headboard. Clutching the sheet to her chest with one hand, she used her other to pluck a donut out of a box that lay propped up on her thighs.

"I can't believe you made me steal this from the lounge," Brennan said. "This is what happened when Rome fell."

Using his other hand to reach for a donut himself, Booth grabbed one and began to munch on it happily. Through his chewing, he said, "What? Uh, people ate sticky donuts in bed after mind-blowing sex... twice?"

"I was thinking more of an emphasis being placed on self-indulgent sexually gratifying exercises that have resulted from the initial change that participating in coitus has wrought on our recent behavior," Brennan remarked.

Popping the last bit of the donut into his mouth, Booth began to lick the icing off his finger as he said, "Well, I think, um, you know, it's all a matter of perspective, Bones. All that sexual tension between us was bound to pop at some point. Its not really self-indulgent since we're just getting it out of our system and used to how things have changed between us. I'm sure, at some point, things will even out."

"True," Brennan said, turning her head and quickly catching one of Booth's sticky fingers in her mouth. Sucking the rest of the icing off of it, she smiled when she let it go with an audible pop. "Sweet," Brennan murmured. "Almost as sweet as the music the Roman Senate claimed they heard when Nero would really play the fiddle."

His eyes darkening again, Booth said in a horse voice, "You know, Bones, I like to think that, um, someplace deep inside, people really know what's important. They make time for things like that… because having a balanced work life and personal life… it's a good thing, you know?"

"Mmmmm," Brennan said, stifling a laugh as Booth leaned in to kiss her, and she ducked away. Looking at the box of donuts, Brennan reached in and grabbed another one. Taking a big bite, Brennan realized she was suddenly ravenous.

Booth looked at her with a curious glint in his eyes as he said, "Are you always like this after sex, Bones?"

"Like what?" she mouthed through the donut.

"A sugar junkie in need of a fix?" Booth asked, looking at her with mock seriousness evident on his face.

"Normally, no," Brennan admitted. "But, the increased amount of energy I've been expending in completing sexual acts with you has burned off a significant amount of calories, and I find a craving for sugar dominating my mind, right now. Either that, or, if it were in any way scientifically possible, even though I'm well aware it's not, I'd say I was channeling your normal post-sex behavior."

"I do NOT get the munchies after sex," Booth laughed.

"Hey, you were the one who was just accusing me a couple of weeks ago of always wanting to go to sleep after sex. What's gravy for the cock is gravy for the hen," Brennan said.

"'Sauce', Bones. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander," Booth corrected her.

"I fail to see why the particular avian species used in the euphemism makes any significant difference in my statement," Brennan said. "You still get the point." Booth shot her a look, which Brennan ignored. Shaking her head again, Brennan repeated, "I'm starving."

Handing Booth the box, Brennan shimmied out of the bed and bent over her chaise lounge to begin pulling some clothing out of the pile that lay discarded there.

Booth watched her with interest as he said, "What are you doing?"

"Getting dressed," Brennan said. "I told you, I'm hungry."

"The three donuts you already had weren't enough?" Booth asked.

"No. I find that after that much sucrose consumption, I find that I would now prefer to consume something containing excessive amounts of sodium," Brennan told him as she pulled on her bra.

"First the sugar, and then the salt, huh?" Booth asked.

Brennan shrugged.

Booth watched her in appreciation as he noticed that the clothing she now gravitated towards wasn't the more revealing and sexy items he'd been privy to seeing her in over the past few weeks, but looked more like they were her preferred items of casual comfort.

"How come you haven't worn stuff like that more often than now?" Booth asked suddenly.

Looking down at her nude colored bra and simple pair of white string bikinis, Brennan shrugged and said, "I, ah… well, to be honest, Booth, most of what you've seen me in lately has been the result of Angela's efforts to help me in my quest to seduce you away from Cam's wiles." Booth snickered at this, as Brennan shrugged and said, "I mean, obviously she was right… it worked since you're here with me and not here, but, personally? I never understood that."

"Well, I mean, no, of course you wouldn't," Booth laughed.

"Why?"

Booth's face turned serious as he realized Brennan was no longer playing. He considered his words careful before he said haltingly, "Well, it's just, you know… someone who looks like … you, Bones. Well, you wouldn't. Just because of the way you look."

Shaking her head, Brennan said, "I don't understand. What - way do I look?"

Brennan, clearly oblivious, delighted Booth. A faint smile grazed his lips as he said softly, "Well, you know, you're - you're structured…. very well."

Tilting her head as she contemplated his words, Brennan responded, "As are you…. but, Booth?"

"Yeah, Bones?"

"Considering the number of times we completed coitus, I would think it would be safe to say that you can just say you think I'm sexually pleasing if you want… or to use one of your preferred words like… 'hot'," Brennan said.

Pulling on her shirt, Brennan's head turned in Booth's direction as she heard him groan.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, Bones. I just never thought that I'd see the day when you'd be telling me that it was okay for me to call you 'hot'… it's a bit… surreal," Booth admitted.

"So?" Brennan said, now dressed. "You hungry, or what?"

"Depends," Booth said. "For what?"

"Not any more sex," Brennan said. "At least, not until we consume something more substantial. Something with lots of sodium and some carbohydrates, maybe. Then, we still have all that paperwork from the last case, right?"

"Yes," Booth groaned in protest. "I was... I was gonna do it later."

"No. No, I would- you know, it's our case. I would like to help," Brennan said.

"You don't have to, Bones."

"Booth, just drop it, okay? Despite the fact that we have added a sexual component to our relationship, I'm still you're partner, right? I'm here to help."

"Like, as in helping by spilling your guts about us to Angela?" Booth said.

Narrowing her eyes, Brennan said, "You found about that already, huh?"

"Yup," Booth said. "And, so did Cam."

"Oh."

"Yeah," Booth said. "And, we need to talk about that, Bones. Big mouths do not a congenial work atmosphere make."

"I find that statement very ironic considering the fact that you were the one who told Cam initially that there was a change in the nature of our relationship during the first phase of the investigation into the Seaver homicide. Besides, Booth, Angela *is* my best friend. She definitely deserves to know more than Cam about what's going on since, from a certain perspective, I never would have tried to get your attention - an act which culminated in the series of events which led us here - if it hadn't been for her efforts," Brennan pointed out.

"Yeah, well, even still," Booth said. Taking the box of donuts in one hand, he threw the sheet off of him and got out of bed. Gesturing to her, he said, "How about I get dressed, and ah, order some takeout, and I ditch these doughnuts?"

"Sure."

Almost at the same moment both of them asked, "Thai food?"

They both grin at each other. At last, Boot said, "This time, I'm ordering extra mee krob because you ate it last time. All of it."

Laughing, Brennan said, "What? I thought you were done."

"Oh, right," Booth said incredulously. "I was done?"

Nodding emphatically, Brennan said, "Yeah."

"You finished all of it!"

Shaking her head, Brennan tossed her cell phone to Booth and said, "I did not. You were just distracted because you were pretty focused on the fried rice."

Taking the phone, Booth quickly pulled on his boxers and then a pair of jeans. Looking at her with a wry smile, he said, "Can we just order? Okay?"

Waving him off, Brennan laughed. "Fine. Fine. Just don't forget to get me the extra spring rolls, okay? Because, this time I'm *definitely* not sharing any of those with you… your status as a sexual partner or not aside. The spring rolls are *mine*."

"Okay, but... you could just use the term 'boyfriend', you know, Bones?" Booth mouthed as he placed his hand over the cell phone.

Arching her eyebrow at him, Brennan said appreciatively, "You know what? Despite it's imprecision, perhaps I should."

* * *

><p>-TBC-<p> 


	8. Epilogue: And the Winner Is

Competing with Cam

By: Lesera128

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing... Obviously. Just playing in someone else's sandbox for a bit.

Summary: An email from Zack brings Brennan home early just as Cam is about to be hired by the Jeffersonian. A competition for the boss's job and Booth ensues. AU.

* * *

><p>Epilogue – And the Winner Is….<p>

* * *

><p>Three days before the end of the ninety-day probationary period was set to end, Brennan walked into the Royal Diner carrying an envelope. She saw Dr. Camille Saroyan sitting alone at a table and approached it with a hesitancy to her movements.<p>

"Dr. Saroyan?"

Looking up from the newspaper she was reading, Cam nodded when she saw who had interrupted her lunch. "Ahh, Dr. Brennan. Good afternoon."

"I apologize if I'm interrupting you, but I felt the need to tell you that, during the Dylan Crane murder investigation last month, you were right about the pipe," Brennan said.

Nodding, Cam said, "Well, you were right about the rose."

Inclining her head, Brennan said, "Could I sit for a moment?"

"I wish you'd eat some of these fries. Save me from myself. They're really good with garlic mayonnaise," Cam said as she watched Brennan sit into the seat opposite her.

"We have a problem," Brennan began, deciding that taking the direct approach, as usual, was the best option.

"Uh huh," Cam agreed. "Do you see a solution?"

Sliding an envelope in front of her, Brennan said, "That's a copy of a letter that I submitted to the Jeffersonian's Board of Trustees this morning. You can read it at your leisure as I made the copy for your records, but to summarize its contents, I asked that my application for the position of head of the Forensics Department be pulled from consideration."

Her eyes widening just a bit, Cam was quiet for a moment. She gave Brennan a level stare before she said, "If you did that, it means I got the job, doesn't it?" Cam said.

"I would assume so," Brennan said. "However, since I'm not privy to the board's regular business procedures, I can't say for certain. I would think you'd be hearing something shortly, perhaps when you return to the lab."

Shaking her head, Cam responded, "I told you, I didn't want to get it by default."

"I know," Brennan admitted. "And, I apologize for that, but I didn't really have any other options."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning," Brennan clarified. "You were right when you said there was only so much any one person can do and have at any one time. And, right now, I can't have that job and Booth and our partnership, too… So, I made a choice," Brennan said. "Booth and our professional partnership are more important to me than any job promotion. I don't like the idea of having to make a choice, but one was required, so I did."

Cam stared at her for a moment and said, "And, have you figured out how you're going to figure out a way to convince the FBI higher-up muckey mucks not to split you and Booth up as work partners when it becomes common knowledge that you guys are seeing each other romantically?"

"No," Brennan admitted. "I haven't quite thought that far in advance yet. But, in trying to emulate some of Booth's better qualities, I'm trying to remain optimistic that a solution to the problem will eventually present itself."

"Wow," Cam said. "That's… a completely unexpected admission coming from you, Dr. Brennan. I must admit, I don't know what to say."

"Booth says that I have... well, something about control issues and the weight of the world," Brennan admitted. "He thinks the only reason I really went after the job anyway was because I didn't like the idea of having you as my boss... anyone as my direct supervisor, really. When he pointed out that I have no reason to feel threatened by you, in either a professional or personal manner, I realized he might have a valid point about the fact that you may be more… suited to the bureaucratic aspects of the department chair job than I ever could be."

Cam listened carefully and then nodded. "That sounds like Booth."

"I think he meant that if I'm going to share responsibility for these cases, I'm going to have to learn to try to stop controlling everything else in my life, too. Does that make sense? Psychology's not – I really – I really hate psychology," Brennan sighed.

Cam thought for a minute and then slowly nodded. "Not everyone's brain works as fast as yours. I have to mull sometimes. Are… are you familiar with that concept?"

"Yes," Brennan admitted. "I just always thought it was a waste of time."

"You don't want to leave the Jeffersonian, even if I'm your boss, do you?" Cam asked.

"No, I don't," Brennan said. "It's my home."

"I've started to get that feeling, too," Cam admitted. "And, just between you, me, and the wall, I've been sitting here each lunch hour for the past week trying to figure out a way I could swallow my pride and ask to stay on in the pathologist's position if you did get the job."

"Why were you talking to the wall? Brennan asked in confusion.

"I don't," Cam said. "Listen... just... it looks like I won't have to do that now because it appears like you beat me to the punch."

"You wanted to punch something?"

Laughing, Cam said, "No, Dr. Brennan. It was just a figure of speech. It means… well, never mind." Looking up at her, Cam picked up the letter and gestured with it in the air. "It's not important."

"All right," Brennan responded.

"What *is* important," Cam said, "is the fact that, I guess with your letter to the board, that means you've made me your own boss, so I'm in charge. But, out of respect for you, I could extend… well, did you ever play Monopoly?"

"No."

"Well, they have this thing called a 'Get Out of Jail Free' card. Think of it as a free pass to defy me. No explanation needed. No recriminations. No repercussions." Cam explained.

"Well, how – how many would I get?"

"One a week," Cam offered.

"Five per case," Brennan countered.

"Three per week."

Thinking at her offer, Brennan nodded and then reached over and took Cam's hand to shake it.

The pair were silent for a minute before Brennan said, "Booth told you about us, didn't he?"

"Okay, yes. He did. But, he did it on accident... and he has a good heart, and I'd really appreciate it if you didn't let him know I told you that. Please. I'm sure you know he's quite sensitive about the whole office romance gossip thing," Cam said.

"He's going to know that you told me the second he sees us together."

Cam thought for a minute before she nodded in agreement. "It's true. He's awful like that."

"He reads people the way you read pathology reports or I read bones," Brennan replied.

"Oh, God. I know. I hate him," Cam chuckled. Looking up at her, Cam then amended with a serious look, "Well, I don't really…."

Nodding, Brennan said. "I know. Me either." She paused and then reached for one of Cam's fries. "I will take you up on this."

"Would you, please?" Cam said, with a smile. "Us strong women? We've got to stick together, you know, Dr. Brennan. Otherwise… who knows what would happen in the world?"

"Agreed," Brennan said, chewing the French fries with a flair of gusto. "Agreed."

* * *

><p>~The End~<p>

* * *

><p><span>AN: Okay, here is my obligatory wrap up at the end of the story. I actually started this story so I could have something light and fluffy and fun to write after the dark and heavy angst of my story "He Shouldn't Have Done That." Hopefully, that's how it came across to you all.

The good news is that I've already decided to continue this plot line in a forthcoming sequel entitled "Laughing During Sex." It will be set during season 4, having taken its title from a certain episode in that season, which some of you more detail-oriented people might be able to spot. But for the events that resulted Booth and Brennan hooking up in "Competing with Cam," the new story will attempt to follow canon from their point of view with the following twist – now that Booth and Brennan have finally hooked up, why will no one believe that they're actually together… and to what lengths will they have to go to prove it? Might a bet of their own ensue... something to do with Booth finally getting Brennan a gun... or Booth getting to chose Brennan's wardrobe for a month? For those who are curious, it will continue to be nothing but fun and light and sexy. With so many great B&B episodes in season 4, how could it not be? I think there may also be a rating bump on that one, but we'll see. Either way, be on the look out for it. Or, sign up for an author alert so you know when the fun starts. Until then, to my normal cadre of faithful readers and reviewers, you guys know how awesome I think you are. Thank you SO much for the reviews and reading along with me. Take care and see you on the flip side fairly soon!~


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